From instore to online – customer service and the human touch thumbnail image Published on 16th April 2021 by Gemma Harding

The rise of E-commerce seems unstoppable. Accelerated by the global COVID 19 pandemic, the world of retail has changed forever. Online sales now account for over 34% of all retail sales compared to just 15% five years ago. How do e-commerce businesses maintain the experiential aspects that previously only a physical store has delivered?

 

Customer experience matters and it delivers returns. As retailers invest less on their physical presence, they have switched to the digital world, learning some valuable lessons on the way.

 

A recent study of over 15,000 consumers by PwC looked at what was important to them

  • 73% say that a good experience affects their brand loyalty
  • 80% say that efficiency matters and that they’ll pay more for it
  • 71% say a company’s employees have a significant impact on their experience
  • 70% value human interaction – that’s a higher score than brand, design or technology

 

There are lessons to be learned. E-commerce offers a host of possibilities in terms of efficiency, choice and convenience. In a crowded digital space personalisation allows businesses to build unique relationships with their customers, whether they’re on social media, browsing casually or on the site and ready to purchase.

 

We can’t lose sight of what really matters to our customers and how technology has changed them. Efficiency and convenience are a given in an environment where it’s increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. Whether it’s silver surfers or Gen X, Y or Z, if you want to make your customers feel valued you still need the human touch.

 

How does your business use people and technology to deliver the human touch?