In the retail industry, the concept of personalized customer experience is growing and transforming with the new innovative technologies. But to put things in the most uncomplicated perspective customization service is adding value to a customer’s choices concerning their preferences. Today, being a retail customer has numerous advantage including being able to use various shopping methods starting with physical stores and ending with digital ones such as e-commerce websites.
Retail giants such as Target, Amazon, Walmart and many more have realized that personalization has become the critical component in attaining competitive advantages and accomplish success. In a research conducted by Segment, it has become clear that lack of customization caused frustration in 71 percent of consumers, and that 44 percent of them pointed towards loyalty after personalized shopping.
For the retailers, there are various ways of understanding the customer preferences and delivering unusually furnished customer services to the buyers. This personalization creates an air of visible trust which the consumers can feel about their preferred retailers. Retailers can personalize customer service in innumerable ways that include:
By Tracing the Customer Journey
Retailers can visualize the journey of a customer’s shopping experience by making a map that can trace the skills that a consumer has with an organization from the start which can be transformed into a long-term relationship. It helps the businesses to visualize things from the buyers’ point of view and helps in offering products, discounts, services, and aid that a customer requires.
By Collecting Consumer Data
Data is a powerful word and also a sensitive topic especially after different entities regulating the ways of collecting it such a GDPR. However, a study showed that 65 percent of customers approved on sharing their information in return for getting more targeted offers concerning their preferences and 82 percent welcomed a personal and data-driven in store-based retailer communications. By collecting data, retailers have an enhanced understanding of the requirements and needs of its customers.
By Using Location-Based Offers
By utilizing the innovative technologies and the geolocation services of smartphones, retailers are now able to send notifications to the customers that are within a particular parameter from their stores. By delivering such personal and specially furnished and targeted messages customers can come to the stores when being close which they might have ignored otherwise.
What Are the Advantages of Personalized Shopping Experience?
Increased Revenue
One of the main reasons for using personalization is the remarkable increase in the returns. Personalized customer service targets the individual customers with reverence to their preferences, needs, and likes which, in its turn, increases the chances of engagement and higher sales. 40 percent of consumers from the U.S. responded that they had paid a higher price for a product than planned due to the personalized customer experience.
Customer Retention and Loyalty
One must understand that customers appreciate being treated as particular individuals and that every single one of them has definite preferences. Custom made services, suggestions and offers to the customers augment the competitive advantage in both customer retention and brand loyalty. According to various reports, consumers want to shop and stick with those retailers who offer personalized customer service.
Happier Consumers
Retailers have to keep in mind that customers tend to get aggravated when they are sent across unrelated offerings or any message. Numerous reports suggest that shoppers both online and offline tend to have a negative view towards advertisements being sent to them that are not in accordance with what they require. Hence, it is essential to keep in mind that the products and services are personalized will guarantee the development of the customer service being provided.
