Tech Trends Making for a Seamless Customer Experience
A seamless omnichannel experience, flexible buy and return policies, on or offline, today’s customers want it all. Tech is giving it to them.
Although people are still stepping into brick-and-mortar stores to get their goods, creating a smooth omnichannel customer experience that a business operating model that allows customers the flexibility to bounce back and forth between transacting with your company online or in-person is key to success through the global pandemic.
Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS), Pickup In-Store (ROPIS) and Return In-Store (BORIS) are all new trends in the flexibility retailers are learning to adapt in order to keep customers shopping. Digital solutions that allow for a seamless customer experience both online and in-store are vital pieces to a complex, omnichannel strategy.
The trend of digital shopping is expected to continue to accelerate.
U.S. eCommerce sales expected to grow 40.3% to reach $839.02 billion in sales.
Mcommerce (shopping on mobile phones) is expected to rise to over $570 billion and account for 53% of total e-commerce sales.
However, in-store sales are on the rise as well, in-store sales account for 63% of all sales, according to a JD Power’s survey. And BOPIS retail orders showed a 208% growth through the global pandemic.
Whether in person or online, technology is changing the face of how customers interact with your brand. At NRF Walmart and Wayfair, representatives noted that the digital transformation of retail has been accelerated by 3-5 years. Retailers looking to remain viable must learn to leverage technology to meet ever-increasing consumer demands.
At every point in the customer journey opportunities present themselves to leverage technology to create the friction-free experience today’s customers expect, a critical component of capturing and maintaining a customers attention.
Here are a few examples:
- digital touchpoints can be incorporated into brick and mortar stores
- providing a personalised shopping experience to each and every customer
- AR&VR mobile experiences
- “live shopping” connecting customers with retailers through live streaming
- online self-serve centres and returns portals
- looping real-time customer survey feedback into operations
- QR codes for a more efficient and customer-pleasing returns process
Of course, COVID-19 hasn’t lowered the need or taken the focus off of sustainability, ethical procurement, social responsibility and community impact. More than ever, customers are aligning their purchases with their values. So if you’re doing some good, remember to make sure to let it show. On every channel.
