Customer Service
February 23, 2016 at 11:33 am
Wal-Mart has consistently earned a low opinion from consumers, but CEO Doug McMillon has vowed to improve the retailer's standing with customers. So how's that working out? Not great, at least not yet. The world's largest retailer slipped two points in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), holding fast to its last-place ranking among department and…
February 22, 2016 at 9:37 am
One thing retailers can count on in January is innovation. Each year, retailers across the globe gather for Retail’s BIG Show hosted by the National Retail Federation (NRF). This year’s event covered the usual topics, such as payment technologies and improving the customer experience, but also demonstrated that there’s a big shift affecting the retail…
February 17, 2016 at 9:46 am
A riddle: What's a primary hurdle businesses face when seeking to expand their sales and operations? Hints: It’s something that can’t change overnight. It also can’t be bought or sold. Stumped? It’s trust. A company can spend thousands of dollars on advertising and marketing, but unless it establishes an honest, sincere rapport with its customers,…
February 4, 2016 at 9:12 am
With the holidays firmly in the rearview mirror, the start of a new year is the perfect time for retailers to reflect on how sales performed, whether they provided great customer service, and whether their supply chains delivered during a time that's critical for winning — or permanently alienating — customers. Retailers work year-round to…
February 1, 2016 at 11:43 am
Jay Baer is a celebrated digital marketing strategist, speaker and New York Times best-selling author, as well as the president of Convince & Convert, a digital marketing consulting firm. His advice on customer service has helped some of the world's leading brands, including Nike, Cisco, Oracle, Cabela's, and many others. In this episode of Total…
January 29, 2016 at 11:15 am
Small and midsize retailers, including startups, recognize that to play with the Goliaths, providing exemplary online customer care can be the deciding factor. Increasingly, what’s helping them are new technologies that redefine customer service by enhancing shoppers’ choices while improving efficiency and flexibility. For these retailers, online sales are increasingly critical. It all reflects the…
January 21, 2016 at 2:17 pm
Zumiez, a specialty retailer of apparel, footwear and accessories for young men and women, is blessed with a loyal customer base. The Seattle-based retailer has worked hard to create a culture of top-notch customer service, led by its store associates. However, those store associates were hamstrung by a dated point-of-sale (POS) system that wasn't integrated…
January 18, 2016 at 9:38 am
Online retailers hold the advantage of 24/7 accessibility, but their brick-and-mortar counterparts have found ways to chip away at it over the past few years. A major taboo fell by the wayside in 2014 when several national retail chains opened their doors on Thanksgiving Day. With the holiday shopping season recently concluded, retailers are evaluating…
January 15, 2016 at 10:56 am
With the holiday season now over, the joys of increased consumer spending, materialism and holiday spirit are quickly overshadowed by a spike in product returns. At these times, customer service agents can often be stretched thin and should be amply supported to maintain not only their own sanity, but customers’ as well. In order to…
January 4, 2016 at 10:33 am
My previous post outlined how consumer behaviors are changing and technology is creating new expectations. While these should be welcome developments, they're posing major challenges to retailers. That post also explained why an omnichannel-enabled contact center is a critical part of the solution. In this article, I detail how omnichannel will help retailers positively impact both…
