Springtime 2020, the world sees a collapse in its economy affecting a variety of businesses. Several regions took part in lockdowns to keep its patrons and employees safe. And while “flattening the curve” hugely impacted these businesses, there was a rise in customer service requests, especially in the retail and e-commerce sectors.
Upon reading an article written by Jerry Campbell, the Head of Customer Experience (CX) and Social Engagement at 7-Eleven, he states,
7-Eleven felt this change and received several inquiries such as questions about product availability, in-store experiences, etc. This caused an overwhelming experience for support teams as they needed to keep up with the pace. The need for the right tools, more customer service agents, and adaptation was quickly becoming apparent.
This “new normal” should be viewed as an opportunity for retailers to grow and discover new ways of servicing their customers. Businesses will be faced with customer needs that they have never faced before. It’s important to prepare for these immediate changes and to quickly adapt your CX strategy. See this as an opportunity to accelerate your customer service strategy.
Three Considerations for Retailers Looking to Improve CX
- Automate the mundane — eliminate manual customer service tasks
- Meet customers where they want — with a multi-channel, self-service approach
- Get your house in order — eliminate cross-team silos