Customer Service

Retailers hoping to succeed in today’s market need to appeal to an influential and powerful group: millennial and Generation Z consumers. To do this, they need to provide top-notch customer support. These demographics already wield enormous spending power, and will continue to do so for years. Retailers can go a long way toward captivating these…

Chatbots and other artificial intelligence-assisted customer service tools continue to grow exponentially as retailers look to improve efficiencies. The benefits of chatbots and electronic systems for businesses are relatively straightforward: less time spent monitoring communication channels, less expensive customer service solutions, and even the ability to grow by converting potential customers. Some analysts believe chatbots…

In episode 232 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Laurie Simpter, senior manager of customer relations at Pier 1 Imports, an omnichannel retailer of unique, decorative home furnishings, decor and gifts. Listen in as Simpter discusses the challenges many retailers face when handling customer service phone calls, including staffing, especially during peak holiday times.…

There are many reasons an online order may fail to be completed, from bad weather to back-ordered product. And there’s always the chance the package ended up on your neighbor’s doorstep instead of yours. Whatever the reason, when a customer fails to receive their order, the cost adds up fast. The yearly cost of failed…

In episode 229 of Total Retail Talks, Executive Editor Joe Keenan interviews Drew Chamberlain, director of operations and customer experience at JO-ANN Stores, a specialty retailer of crafts and fabrics. Listen in as Chamberlain discusses JOANN's recent partnership with customer service platform Gladly, why the craft retailer felt the need to invest in new technology,…

As pressure mounts to differentiate with superb customer service via interactive channels, more brands are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help deliver that service at scale. Technology researcher Gartner predicts that by 2021, seven out of 10 companies will rely on AI to boost productivity. Consulting firm McKinsey found that 47 percent of companies…

With the busy holiday shopping season comes a huge increase in customer service calls (375 percent in the past two years), including into the new year. Therefore, it’s important that retailers re-evaluate their customer service security policies. According to a report from Sitel Group and CallMiner, 30 percent of Americans think the retail industry is…

The internet has not only increased the importance of customer service as a differentiator; it’s altogether changed the way shoppers and brands interact. In the past, sellers could rely on mass messaging to communicate offers and announce new products, with a toll-free number or mailing address for customer service inquiries. Now customers expect to have…

Every facet of a retailer’s business can present a challenge when it comes to providing the perfect customer experience — sales, inventory, shipping, delivery, you name it. At some point, those challenges will give rise to issues, and it’s no secret that when consumers encounter a problem, they reach out to the source to get…

No matter how diverse your customer base may be, the majority of them have two things in common. First, they expect you to provide information and answers to their questions immediately. Second, they will become former customers the first time you fail to do so. In today’s mobile, always-connected world, all retailers face the challenge…