How to create an unforgettable shopping experience

However, this is only a small part of the complexity of the meaning of “the customer comes first”, because digital media needs more to think about.

Buying habits have changed, both because of technological advances and confinement, which shows the importance of considering the customer as the main character in the business world. The challenge comes when we need to achieve a balance between the digital world and human warmth.

The customer or shopping experience is an intangible value, but quite relevant within a sales funnel. This is a process with multiple points of contact and approaches between the consumer and the brand during a purchase.

It’s no secret that this factor has become the great differentiator, far beyond the products and services offered. The market is wide and experiences are valued over products. People are looking for agile experiences, but without losing the human touch and personalization. Otherwise, bad reviews tend to have a greater reach.

Diagnosis of the customer journey 

Before optimizing the shopping experience, you need to know what your current situation is. This requires to track each of the channels where it operates and being aware of the customers who come through them; analyze consumer behavior and don’t lose track, click by click, every step customers follow to complete a purchase; in case they abandon the purchase, locate in which step this happened and draw possible causes.

Omnichannel

Digitization allowed brands to open up to social networks and apps. Customers will appreciate it if you’re present in various channels, as they seek ease of browsing without losing track of what they intend to buy. For example, people can see an ad on a website and search for brand presence on social media to find out more of what they want to buy, but ultimately make the purchase from the app. Proof of this is that, in 2020, 64% of people started using a new service channel, according to Zendesk. 

Simplify

Making this journey easy and agile increases the success of converting visits into sales. Forget about endless registrations, waiting times that exceed three seconds in the digital realm, or unnecessary clicks. The copywriting of the customer journey must be crystal clear. Moreover, it’s good to reduce the number of steps to the minimum. That way the experience will quickly increase the probability of retention. 

Data analysis

Data analysis If the customer is the center of a planned strategy to provide an optimal experience, you should know their behaviors, which channels are most frequently used, what their problems and concerns are regarding the offer, which is the best-selling product, etc. All of this data is really valuable. Therefore, it is necessary to have a correct collection and analysis of the information provided by the channels where the brand has a presence.

Social listening 

Social listening is the practice of tracking everything that is said about a brand, a product or a specific topic in open digital channels. The opinions of consumers are very valuable because through them, important information that escapes to data analysis can be detected, such as failures and suggestions. 

Customer service and support 

Timely and clear customer support is a key element. You can add digital support systems such as chatbots to enrich your customers’ experience. This tool attends in a very personal way and with a lower percentage of error in dealing with the client, and you can get some of them for free in platforms such as Facebook. If the customer support is given by a human, it’s important to get the correct kind of people in this area. The goal is that the communication they offer is always aligned with the tone and values ​​of the brand.

AR

AR technology is rising. It’s a digital tool that brings virtual elements to the real environment. Using it makes the shopping experience unforgettable and clears doubts out of your customers. Some brands have used AR to make up for the lack of direct contact during confinement and offered the visualization of their products through apps. However, its use is not limited to online purchases, it can also be used inside your shop in order to enhance the buying experience. Ikea developed an app that allows its customers to visualize the furniture in their spaces through AR, but also included technology such as VR within its physical stores to show color options in their products. According to Google, 66% of customers are interested in using AR when purchasing products or services. Why not try it yourself?