The Cisco Customer Experience Report surveyed 1,511 consumers across ten countries to reveal their desired retail shopping experience. Retailers who want to stay competitive should be aware of the following key findings:
- One-third (34 percent) of global consumers use multiple channels when shopping.
- 23 percent of consumers made in-store purchases based on research they did online, and 11 percent of shoppers purchased online after seeing a product in a retail store.
- Two-thirds (65 percent) of global consumers are comfortable receiving retail advice based on their location through their mobile device.
- Although many shoppers want automation when purchasing, consumers are evenly divided, with 58 percent of consumers preferring help from an in-store associate.
- Consumers want to track sales and promotions (62 percent), coupons (46 percent), price changes (47 percent) and product availability (45 percent).
- Almost half (49 percent) of consumers are comfortable with retailers collecting personal information when shopping online in exchange for more personalized recommendations and customer service.
- More than half (54 percent) of consumers said they are okay with retailers storing their purchase history in exchange for more personalized service.
- When shopping for clothing online, 83 percent of consumers rely on product reviews from other shoppers (53 percent) or friends on social media (30 percent) in purchasing decisions, while only 23 percent rely on recommendations made from retailer employees via online chat.
- When a retailer is resolving a customer service issue reported via social media, the vast majority of consumers (94 percent) expect a personal response, 68 percent expect a personal email and 46 percent expect a phone call.
- While shopping online, consumers are open to using a variety of ways to reach out to a customer service representative, with the largest proportion (30 percent) preferring to use an instant message chat window. When shopping in-store, consumers (54 percent) primarily would prefer to find an in-store representative to speak face-to-face.
When customer service is a factor, employees come into play as a “must” for ensuring a positive retail experience. Organizations that deliver great customer experiences will realize true business impact through better operating efficiencies, improved customer loyalty and growth.