Retail is much more than selling a product in a shop. In 2017 we have seen the rise of the customer experience and UK retailers are battling it out to be at the forefront of the trend. Consumers expect more choice and convenience along their shopping journey whether in store, online or at festivals and events; a shop layout, staff, online presence and personalisation can always improve a customer’s perception of your brand.
Interestingly, online retailer Net-a-Porter have been credited as the best UK retailer for customer experience personalisation and ranked 4th in the World – without having a brick and mortar store. Offering seamless shopping across online channels, they still provide customers with the elevated level of service and experience expected from a large high street retailer; from digital and print magazines, next day shipping, offering fashion consultancy to 24/7 support, Net-a-Porter have really tapped into the expectations of the modern consumer.
Enhancing customer experience isn’t something retailers can achieve overnight, it should be part of a wider strategy for the small independents as well as large high street businesses. Technology advances have made it easy for independent retailers to compete with the high street, enabling them to create enhanced customer experiences throughout all sales channels.
EPoS and the Customer Experience
Your retail system should provide your business with the tools to extend and enhance customer experience. Implementing an efficient, end to end platform gives smaller retailers the ability to compete with the big players in the industry, giving you the tools to up sell, promote loyalty and attraction, deliver a purchase history of your customer and extend their choice.
Personalisation is an important aspect to gaining customer satisfaction and making them feel valued. Whether your shop is online or in store, integrating a true Cloud multi-channel retail system can give you the edge you need, reducing admin time, giving you more time to focus on selling and interacting with your customers, providing the service they desire.
Evidence suggests that shoppers still value a more personal approach to customer service, with a staggering 84% of consumers agreeing that they would shop with a retailer again if their customer service was quick and helpful. Technology is a key tool to help retailers retain customers, but retention is just one of many benefits that it provides.
Key Drivers for Customer Experience Success
Implementing an efficient multi-channel retail system doesn’t have to be a daunting task and can provide you with many key drivers towards the success of your business and the customer experience you strive to achieve, including;
- Improved collection and delivery options
- Seamless web and mobile experience
- Fully personalised loyalty program
- Informative and tailored communication to customers based on their buyer behaviour
- Improved customer service online and in store
Achieving success, however, depends upon your ability to adapt to the changes experienced in the retail landscape. If your current retail system is struggling to adapt, then maybe it is time to rethink your software and review other options available to help you succeed.
4 Things to Consider
- You should be looking at implementing MPoS mobile assistants in store to provide an extended, personal shopping experience from extended product search and ideas, through to promotions, personalisation and payments.
- If your store is small but your online offering is vast then it makes sense to create a mobile showroom. Combining your website product range into your instore sales process extends your digital aisles, providing more choice for your customers.
- You could manage your customer and inventory data at any point during the customer journey using a virtual head office, which provides a real-time overview of accurate data.
- Want to increase retention and loyalty but not sure how? Cloud EPoS can help you integrate loyalty programmes and promotions across all your business channels and systems.
To help you decide which retail system is best suited to your business download the FREE short guide:
Which EPoS System is Right for You?
10 Insights to help you sell more and manager less
Rachel is passionate about retail and the ever-changing retail technology environment, with a keen eye for upcoming retail trends that are set to shake up the sector.
