Customers Want Consistency across Contact Channels
“Stores today have begun learning how to sell a complete experience, not just a product.”
— Shaun Smith, author of Managing the Customer Experience
Consumers are looking for more than just a “transaction.” They want a satisfying experience and a relationship with a retailer they can trust. Accordingly, customers expect their information to be available for every interaction over the course of their relationship with you, regardless of whether they communicated via telephone, online (through chat, e-mail or self-serve) or in person. According to Retail Systems Research, “If retailers don’t have a consistent message across channels, they are creating confusion.” In light of this, your customer-facing employees—regardless of experience or knowledge—are expected to deliver personalized, positive experiences in every customer interaction. Yet complex processes, silos of knowledge, multiple communication channels and a host of disparate, disconnected applications often result in sluggish and ineffective service. Retailers need to overcome these challenges to create a cohesive, seamless experience, regardless of touch point.
