Come bilanciare il Customer Service tra Human e Digital

Digital and Human Customer Support

AICEX: ci piace l’esempio dell’automotive. Perchè andare in concessionaria quando ancora non ho deciso di comprare l’auto?

The more we adopt self managed, digital channels which optimise our expectations for ‘always there’, real time delivery, we are also rediscovering the expectation for human engagement when it matters. We are complex in our needs and so customer relationships are tricky in terms of striking the right balance.

Therefore effective omni-channel design is an engagement experience that works in any given customer situation. Here’s one example.

Even though John Lewis is recognised for their online successes, they still keep their eyes focussed on what matters to their customers. For instance, online sales grew by 17% in their latest financial year, with m-commerce up by 34%. However they also spotted that their online sales go up in areas where they open a new shop. This is how John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield explained the effect.

“Our results were very much a result of the effective combination of shops and online, demonstrated by the fact that more than three-quarters of our customers made a purchase from one of our shops,” Continua a leggere “Come bilanciare il Customer Service tra Human e Digital”

W. Porter: Cosa cercano davvero i tuoi clienti?

AICEX: Non devi chiederti SE pensare alla Customer Experience, ma QUANDO iniziare a pensarci!

A memorable car-buying experience. The resort was an experience we will remember for a long time. We were not really looking for the great customer experience we had at that new grocery store.

The actual customer comments above are probably something you have been seeing a lot more of these days online and in print from businesses both local and national. And there is a good reason for it.

As Joe Pine and Bob Gilmore point out in their now famous customer service business book “The Experience Economy,” we are all now in the customer experience business. And if you have not put together a rich, memorable experience for your customers, you may not be investing in a financially sustainable effort for the future. Continua a leggere “W. Porter: Cosa cercano davvero i tuoi clienti?”

Nell’Omnichannel Canali e Journey sono davvero importanti?

AICEX SUMMARY: Omnichannel requires framing the customer experience in human customer terms, not in technology or messages.

The term omnichannel is becoming ubiquitous. However, it may be one of the most misunderstood terms in retail today. Omnichannel is often equated with retailers using multiple channels to sell to customers. While multiple channels are now a reality for selling, what is driving the disruption is the change in customer behavior. Consumers literally are shopping everywhere, anywhere all the time. This new behavior is often described as the “customer journey.” Today’s customer’s path to purchase is certainly not linear. But, what does this new trending phrase for retailers really mean? Is it a better way to go to market to reach customers? The potential pitfalls of trying to map the “journey” would indicate caution.

Why this is important: Marketers and retailers still struggling on how to reach omnichannel consumers, are turning to mapping the “customer journey.” The irony is that the solution may really be much simpler — become channel agnostic.

Continua a leggere “Nell’Omnichannel Canali e Journey sono davvero importanti?”

Perchè la Relazione è importante anche nell’era “Mobile”

Customer Service Depends on Relationships Even in the Mobile Age

AICEX SUMMARY: Ai tuoi clienti può anche non interessare che diventiate amici!

People access the internet on mobile devices more often than desktop computers, and that trend started years ago. It’s also been well over a year since “mobilegeddon,” when Google updated its algorithms to penalize websites without mobile counterparts.

With so many websites shifting to responsive design, consumers now turn to the mobile web and apps to address online shopping needs. Early adopters make purchases directly from their smartphones. Others use mobile devices to quickly look up items, consume product-specific content and discuss options with peers — any time, anywhere.

The mobile browsing experience is remarkably different from surfing via desktop, and it’s about much more than screen size. It’s about immediacy and creating “micro moments” along the journey to purchase. A recent study shows that 63 percent of adults in the United States use their mobile devices several times in a given month to obtain customer support. Ninety percent of them reported poor experiences when interacting with customer support via mobile.

To maximize sales, customer satisfaction, repeat business and referrals, you must master the art of customer service for mobile. Here are three mobile realities to keep in mind, along with a few tips to help you handle them.

Continua a leggere “Perchè la Relazione è importante anche nell’era “Mobile””