5 strategies to improve the customer experience in 2022

The global pandemic has changed the way that consumers think, live, and buy in 2022 and it is forecasted to continue. Consumers are accustomed to working and shopping from home with fast delivery and easy online experiences. When it comes to local, national, and international retail establishments – use inventive avenues to boost the customer experience by integrating the latest tech-savvy strategies.

Incorporating the latest tech like innovative and flexible payment methods, augmented reality, and virtual try-on is a sure-fire way to achieve those goals of increased customer satisfaction.

Creating an Omnipresence

Omnipresence means that your retail business is everywhere… all the time. Customers prefer a smooth and easy online shopping experience on multiple channels across the digital footprint. Adding a virtual chat or customer service call opportunity through the retailer’s app or website gives potential clients peace of mind that they can still have the personal touch of in-store service but from the comfort of their homes – and in pajamas.

With the creation of omnipresence, the labor shortage squeeze felt by in-person retailers is alleviated as more buyers shop from their couches. Marketing across various social media channels, websites, backlinks in blog articles, influencers, and affiliate marketing are some methods used to spread the retail presence, and following up with retargeting ads and personalized digital service is an effective method of growing omnipresence. Omnipresence lined with inventive tech options (more on that below) wows possible leads into actual paying customers.

Social Commerce

Social media has changed the way consumers spend their time, interact with others, and of course, shop. The introduction of social commerce may be new to many retail businesses in the west but has an amazing potential to scale the bottom line of companies without the immense added cost. Selling through social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are just a few examples of platforms already working to integrate social commerce for their viewers.

Going live on social media to launch a new product and take those orders in-app helps both large and small retail companies alike. It works alongside the goal of omnipresence and is just one more marketing tool – but with built-in sales features. Social media sites make money when people remain on their apps so… social commerce helps both the platform and the company. In the years to come, expect more social media platforms to begin adopting social commerce as a method of keeping viewers coming back so everyone wins.

Augmented Reality (AR)

While over half (51%) of all consumers prefer to shop online, the remainder (49%) have concerns about how the clothing or other retail items will look (or fit) once delivered. Augmented reality integrated into your digital presence helps to solve that issue.

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality  (AR) is usually embedded within a website or application to allow digital retail objects or clothing over a three-dimensional object, space, or person. It provides retail customers with a personalized visual representation of the product – leading to better buying decisions, reduced customer service workload, and happier clients. Clothing retail businesses that adopt virtual try-on in augmented reality stand out, attract a new generation of customers, and promote a swelling bottom line.

Flexible Payments

The age-old question of “cash or card?” when approaching a friendly cashier is no longer the norm. Customers prefer a range of flexible payment options including, but not limited to, credit card, debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Venmo, Zelle, and CashApp. For international customers, there may be country-specific payment methods relative to their location in the world.

With the increased cost of supply and shipping across the globe, Buy Now, Pay Later alternatives are a great way to offer consumers the ability to pay through automatic installments to their card or accounts – giving purchasing power to those who may not have all the funding upfront for larger purchases or a full digital cart.

Faster Delivery

There are a lot of factors across the internet that lends themselves to the need for “instant gratification” tendencies like instant messaging, short-form video, and fast-loading websites. Clients also want lightning-fast delivery of the ordered retail products. Retailers that offer same-day or next-day delivery boast a high customer satisfaction rating and a slew of recurring customers by leveraging that “instant gratification” buyer preference.

Drone delivery, international contracted delivery in almost every city, or local delivery for small-town retailers are just a few options to set your retail business apart from the rest and create a widening audience of satisfied customers.

Whether looking to increase lead generation or expand methods of boosting revenue, adding the latest tech into the existing marketing strategies has the potential to scale your retail company – no matter what your offerings are. Evoke positive product emotion through virtual try-on and cure payment and delivery concerns of your buyers to keep them coming back over and over again.