Digital transformation of the customer experience
It was experiences that decided whether one would visit the respective store again and again: was the desired product in stock, was it ordered if necessary, was one greeted in a friendly manner - on repeated visits gladly in person. All this contributed to a positive buying experience.
Retain mature customers
Even though the requirements may differ in the various forms of retail, a good customer experience is the mainstay of customer loyalty.
It's been that way, it's that way, and it will never be any different. In the digital age, ensuring a positive customer experience is more challenging than ever.
Customers are well informed by the Internet, and their expectations and needs are in a constant state of flux, the speed of which is defined in particular by technological progress.
Easy come easy go
In addition, customers can comment on their experiences via their social media channels, for example. Due to the extreme dynamics of digital communication, business can thus be boosted or significantly impaired in a flash.
Today, building a good reputation can be very fast, but it can also be ruined as quickly as never before. All players in the economy are under constant scrutiny today, and retail is no exception.
The days when it was "just" a matter of presenting and describing products well are long gone. Customers want to be addressed individually and expect offers tailored to their needs.
They want optimal advice and support before the purchase, in the (shipping) processing and also in the case of returns - everything should run as conveniently and smoothly as possible.
After the purchase is before the purchase
For all the challenges, there are also clear facilitators - it has never been easier to stay in touch with customers in order to strengthen customer loyalty.
This starts with the mere newsletter and continues with individual offers planned in terms of time and content strategy. Retailers just have to play this card, and there is certainly still some catching up to do here.
Holism is the trump card
The customer experience therefore affects almost all processes in retail and is therefore the central driver of the digital transformation of the industry.
I can only advise retailers to take a holistic approach to sustainably ensuring a positive customer experience. Piecemeal content and/or technology is bound to lead to chaos - and it will be expensive.
Without an equally holistic software platform, it will not be possible to master the current and future challenges in retail.
