The last few months have transformed the traditional idea of the shopping experience. In this new age of shopping, good customer experience (CX) will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator when it comes to your eCommerce website. Therefore, retailers must do all they can to remain competitive at this time and re-focus their efforts on how best to serve customers.

A CX transformation can increase customer retention and greater cross-sell opportunities for businesses. A recent SuperOffice report found that 86% of consumers are willing to pay more for an optimal CX – highlighting the value of providing a frictionless experience across each touchpoint.

There is undoubtedly a tough journey up ahead for many retailers. However, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel for those who are willing to get creative and invest in their customers. As we enter the “new normal” it is imperative for retailers to invest wisely in the right tools and techniques to provide a frictionless CX. Thereby, generating sales and revenue.

We have compiled the following tips for improving the customer experience.

Invest in a seamless omnichannel experience

The first step to improve the customer journey is to embrace omnichannel solutions. PWC found that 80% of organisations are now investing in the omnichannel experience compared to 20% last year – highlighting the surging demand for a seamless CX. 

Omnichannel solutions give customers the option to purchase items at their own leisure across various channels. It also enables better communication between a consumer and retailer, helping brands to ensure their messaging is clear and consistent across each stage of the customer journey. 

Omnichannel features in the Kooomo digital commerce platform give users a true omnichannel experience by implementing click and collect into your digital commerce strategy. 

Orders can be placed online and ready to collect within a matter of hours. Users can also buy products online, and return in-store, or order in-store and have items delivered to them directly.

The Kooomo digital commerce platform enables you to track all payments, from both online transactions and through a point of sales (POS) in bricks and mortar stores. Giving retail staff in physical stores visibility over customers’ orders ensures a smooth customer experience.

Create your own AI chatbot

As the virtual world becomes more commonplace, customer expectations for businesses to be available 24/7 is even greater than before. Approximately 51% of consumers feel businesses must be available and engaged at all times. This is where AI chatbots come into their own, adding both a personal and convenient element to online assistance. 

Chatbots live on a hosts website, instantly answering consumers queries by utilising AI technology – this saves time and provides users with greater autonomy. By investing in solutions that enable swift, efficient and autonomous responses, customers can guide their own journey, removing yet another layer of friction from the CX. 

We support numerous chatbot plugins including Zendesk, Chatify, BotXO and more. Depending on the needs and values of your business, we can work to create the best online customer service for you.
Provide a personalised experience

Personalisation is arguably the most sought-after element in the shopping experience. By capturing and leveraging consumers’ data for actionable insight, retailers can automatically generate tailormade services and suggestions to meet the individual needs of every user. 

Simply put, personalisation technology enables retailers to deliver the right experience to the right customer at the right time – whether they are in-store or online.

Another critical dimension to personalisation is the virtual showroom. High definition, augmented reality, and virtual reality environments enable customers to trial and experiment with items from the comfort of their own homes. This is a critical breakthrough in this new era of safety.

 Kooomo has employed this modern technology to overcome the limitations of Coronavirus. We can install features that allow you to manage multiple sales paths at the same time following the specific needs of each one thanks to customer clustering processes. 

It also supports assistance by phone, by video or by chatbot during the entire purchase process and can create marketing actions aimed at a specific target or a specific country. 

Ultimately, to both overcome the limitations of COVID-19 and ease the CX, retailers must focus on unique and personalised experiences to suit the needs of every customer.

Handle data transparently and securely

Another key element to consider when forming the optimal CX is security. Now more than ever, consumers are overtly aware of the possible security risks when entering the digital landscape. Therefore, retailers must ensure they handle the personal data required for creating that personalised experience appropriately. At Kooomo, we offer numerous plugins that ensure the utmost care when it comes to consumer data, it’s validation and application.

 Organisations must also ensure they are transparent with how and why they are using consumers’ data. Trust between a consumer and retailer is a critical brand differentiator and will inevitably lead to greater customer retention.

Conclusion

As the use of eCommerce platforms increases across the globe and many retailers move more of their services online, the seamless CX is of paramount importance. At this critical time of recovery, retailers who embrace omnichannel solutions, communicate effectively with consumers and personalise the shopping experience will spearhead this sector’s recovery. 

We have discussed how Kooomo supports a better UX via plugins and support – but we also employ the use of APIs to improve experiences for our client’s customers. We are constantly expanding and integrating with new technologies as well as creating our own end to end open API. This means our clients have more flexibility when it comes to the creation or updating of their own sites/stores along with greater safety in terms of data and security. 

The above tips will create a strong foundation for any retailer to thrive throughout the challenging times ahead and Kooomo will be on hand every step of the way to assist retailers who wish to harness the power of our platform.