Big spenders: Big service

The continued demise of the high street and the growth in eCommerce have seen retailers realise exactly how critical a multi-channel strategy is to survival – 40% of consumers are now spending as much online as they do in store*. It’s no real surprise to see the findings of Juniper’s latest research which expects retailers to spend $55bn annually on mobile marketing by 2015. Investment into the multi-channel will allow retailers to enhance their cross-platform offerings and provide consumers with the benefits of an increasingly integrated and online shopping experience.

However, it’s not all plain sailing. Retailers need to maximise the opportunities created by channel blur and recognise, and meet changes in consumer behaviour. Whilst the mobile platform can often be seen as an add-on, this mind set needs to change and all channels – regardless of platform and audience – need to provide the same look, feel and experience throughout.

Customers are becoming ever more demanding, especially when it comes to the service they receive online, but who can blame them? Retailers need to ensure that a multi-channel strategy isn’t implemented at the detriment of customer service. Adding new channels means new ways for engagement, so resources – both in terms of technology and people – need to be reflective of this. Currently there is a gap; the service delivered in-store differs to that online. Online, if you don’t understand what your customers are looking for, if you don’t offer help at the right time and offer a personal service, your customers are less likely to spend time on your site and may even abandon a purchase all together. In fact, 48% of online consumers will abandon a purchase if help isn’t received within the right timeframe*. Customer engagement is known to increase customer spend and loyalty, and is paramount in the quest to reduce abandonment rates and enhance website ‘stickiness’.

Ultimately, the purchasing decision is down to the customer but, as a retailer, being able to offer intelligent support and guidance where and how it’s required helps close the gap between service online and in store and ensures the customer keeps coming back to your website for more.

*Statistic taken from The Connecting with Customers Report, commissioned by LivePerson

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