CRM

2020 was no doubt one of the most challenging for retail. But 2021 should begin a path to recovery with improvements in health and in the economy. The retail industry has the opportunity to continue to innovate products and consumer experiences, expand business, and reconnect with consumers in new and different ways.

No industry sector has experienced a year quite like 2020. For retailers, the pandemic caused massive upheaval to in-store shopping, supply chains, marketing budgets, and more. Retailers that relied heavily on brick-and-mortar sales were forced into e-commerce seemingly overnight. But the truth is the pandemic arrived at a time when retailers were already grappling with…

Luxury brands have long been known for their ability to control how their products are presented and sold. However, the pandemic has placed the industry at a crossroads. In order to keep pace with changing customer expectations on ways to engage with brands, the luxury sector is embracing new models which are more conscious, collaborative…

From the range of digital marketplaces to the proliferation of social media platforms, consumers now have the ability to discover new brands and products faster and easier than ever before — and the amount of time they’re spending online is only increasing. As such, it’s critical for brands to not only have a presence across…

Communication drives conversion. It moves customers from browsers to buyers, delighting them through each step of the purchase journey when done correctly. In a retail operation, these conversations lead to satisfied customers, those that begin to expect a level of excellence that only you can offer. Communication, though, isn’t always accessible. It takes focus and…

Chances are you belong to a customer loyalty program. A recent Mintel report shows that 90 percent of U.S. adults have at least one loyalty membership. But here’s the question: Have you ever used the program or benefited from membership? If your answer is a hard no, you're not alone. The average consumer belongs to…

The world of commerce is continually changing and evolving as a direct impact of technological advances. In 2020, we learned how much technology can shape our experiences and how important it is to use it correctly to make customer journeys frictionless. Consumer expectations shift quickly, and everything in retail changes rapidly. In fact, I would…

Most brands know they must improve customer experience (CX) or risk losing customers. However, digital CX isn't about providing more content or using technology to streamline transactions. A digital experience needs to be a human experience. And human experiences are built on conversations — authentic ones between two people. A conversational platform lets brands reach…

Many of us crave the coming of Jan. 1 as a symbol of a fresh, new year dangling its promise of being oh so much better than the last. On many fronts, particularly humanitarian, we're anxious to move past the fear, upheaval and political angst of 2020. On the flip side, 2020 was an unprecedented…

Walking into a brick-and-mortar store today feels a bit apocalyptic. Employees now don gloves, facemasks and even the occasional face shield for added protection. There are stickers meticulously placed at six-foot intervals in front of checkout counters to help consumers abide by social distancing rules. Plexiglass shields now act as a protective barrier between cashiers…