Customer Service

The whole state of retail is in flux — and it's anybody’s guess what the future holds for consumers, retailers and shopping, especially as the holiday season approaches. All we know is that consumers and retailers alike want to get back to normal. But what will normal be? Will consumers ever feel truly safe shopping…

Creating a great customer experience is no longer a nice to have; it's now a must. Consider that according to Deloitte, customer-centric companies are 60 percent more profitable than companies that don’t focus on their customers. The benefits of being customer-centric and developing great customer experiences are clear, but the road to getting there is…

The digital era hasn’t just transformed a business’ back end; it has revolutionized the customer journey. More and more consumers have embraced digitally native communication channels that weren’t available in the aughts. From text and social messaging, to chatbots and virtual agents, customers now demand that their favorite retailers meet them across their favorite digital…

As with telemedicine for healthcare and online learning for education, digital customer experience (CX) for retail is now a mission-critical path for operational continuity amid the global pandemic. Companies dependent on physical locations that didn't successfully transform their business model for digital are particularly vulnerable to worsening economic forecasts. Among other shortcomings that amassed nearly $1.7 billion…

Recent weeks have brought unprecedented change into all our lives. Most of us are spending more time at home and less time engaging with others in social and work settings. We're restricting trips to stores to just essentials, and that reduces our social exchanges even more. The face-to-face human interactions that made up the fabric…

With COVID-19 causing the majority of retailers to close up shop, and drastic social distancing measures required for those that remain open, many consumers have put a stop to all unnecessary outings and are looking to their favorite brands for remote service and support during this difficult time. In a new Qudini survey of 2,000-plus…

With social distancing measures in place and sanitization precautions a major priority, "human touch" is probably the last thing customers want or expect from retailers right now. But what about the human voice? It's more important than ever. In fact, service demand levels are spiking at companies across the board right now, even doubling in…

For many years, customer experience experts have stressed the importance of balancing the convenience of self-service and digital channels, with the loyalty-building power of human interaction. Stein Mart, a national specialty omnichannel off-price retailer offering designer and name-brand fashion apparel, home décor, accessories and shoes at everyday discount prices, aimed to harness the best of…

In the midst of mounting uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, the presidential election, and other stressors, customer service needs to be dialed up now more than ever. In the retail industry, with more employees working from home and less shoppers visiting physical stores, the time is now for brands to strengthen their direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) mind-set.…

Customer support is evolving at a rapid rate, and many brands are reimagining the impact that a retailer’s support team can have on their customer’s experience and their overall business. However, while there's plenty of change happening today, it’s critical for brands to always keep an eye on the trends impacting tomorrow. Here's a look…