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What does customer service mean to you? Does it mean merely avoiding returns and customer complaints, or does it mean going well beyond what customers expect to make their interaction with you truly a memorable one? Truly great customer service that brings customers back requires conscious effort. Let’s look at a company whose reputation for […]
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Most customers have limited spending dollars which they must choose how to spend. With all the competition vying for every customer dollar, it is important to set yourself apart and show the customer why you deserve their business. This does not mean you have be the cheapest, rather, if customers perceive your service or product […]
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In Favor of One-Store Thinking
In the push to win over today’s always-connected shopper,
retailers have been urged to take an omnichannel approach to selling products. Consumers increasingly rely on a seamless transition between online research, in-store browsing, purchasing, and returns. To accommodate this, many merchants now strive for an omnichannel approach that lets a customer move easily between the brick-and-mortar and online experience.
But as one analyst pointed out, brands may still be separating the concepts, which essentially creates a multi-channel experience for customers. To truly blend the experience, businesses should strive to create an experience where online and retail locations operate as one store, sharing the same policies, fulfillment processes, and team communication
Uniform Pricing
One major frustration shared by customers across the globe is inconsistency in experience. If a customer finds an in-store price isn’t the same as it is online or vice versa, that customer will have a negative brand experience. You’ll be viewed as either disorganized or as a scammer. Either way, you’ll lose customers. By ensuring customers get the same prices through every channel, retailers can continue to provide top-quality customer service.
In addition to awareness of its own pricing schemes, retailers should also pay attention to industry standards on prices. This can be accomplished by constantly watching the competition, but that can be time consuming. For better results, brands can use price comparison tools that show exactly where their own prices stand in comparison to market rates.
Uniformity Across Channels
Policies should be applied across the board for today’s retailers. This includes returns and exchanges. You’ll likely find that customers who shop on your website will want to return items in store, so treating your multiple channels as one will encourage online shopping. To save shipping charges, many customers will also take advantage of “ship to store” opportunities provided on a business’s website.
It’s especially important that your employees have access to a customer’s account without the walls that can sometimes exist between in-store workers and employees who handle service for online purchases. Customers get frustrated when they can’t get help, especially if they’re asked to contact the store when they call the customer service line or vice versa.
Research is an important part of the buying process, with many customers checking online before, during, and after shopping in store. By using services like PriceManager, retailers can not only offer lower prices than competitors, but also create a seamless shopping experience that wins customer loyalty.