5 Steps Retailers Can Take to Achieve ‘Constant Connectedness’

But in order to maximize the impact of their investments, retailers need to learn how to participate in these conversations. It involves looking at current practices and the experiences they offer customers. These are categorized in five primary steps:

1. Listen. Do you listen to your customers often enough and through the channels in which they prefer to communicate?
2. Understand. Do you have a clear understanding of the things customers really value about their experiences with your brand, and know what drives loyalty?
3. Engage. Are your employees equipped with the right tools and information they need to positively impact the customer experience and to engage shoppers while they're in your stores?
4. Nurture. Have you given your employees the tools they need to “save a sale” by understanding key elements of the shopping experience?
5. Mobilize. Are you creating consumer advocates and making it easy for them to influence other consumers via social media?

For retail employees, a constantly connected approach begins with embracing a more collaborative working culture that produces a higher service level for consumers. Instead of relying on top-down collaborative strategies, mobile online interactions can be used to nurture relationships with employees through immediate online recognition of on-the-job excellence and positive customer feedback.