Remember when the store sales associate was the center of the shopping experience? Whether it was taking a shopper’s clothes to the dressing room, rummaging for different sizes, offering recommendations, or even just giving a simple hello and a smile, sales associates were once the undisputed face of retail.
Yet, as retail went digital and consumers began shopping online more, retailers and brands raced to integrate fancy in-store technology and apps, as well as onboard back-end systems to support the omnichannel experience. But the question remained – how to evolve in-store associates to leverage the continuous rise of technology in the retail industry. This is mission-critical now that connected consumers enter the store armed with more information than the associates. Amazon Go’s concept further drew questions about whether store associates were even necessary.
At the same time, evidence supports the need for store associates. A recent survey by Grail Research/Mindtree found that 43 percent of shoppers who interact with retail associates are more likely to make a purchase, and their transactions account for 81 percent more value compared to customers who don’t interact with a store associate. These same shoppers are 12 percent more likely to revisit the store where they experienced positive connections with sales associates.
As retailers and brands look to keep pace with industry evolution, they must begin to integrate the front of the store with the back. It’s no longer okay for the consumer-facing systems to be disconnected from the engine that gets shoppers the products and experiences they seek. The sales associate is the critical fulcrum to making it all come together – becoming more of a shopper concierge than a salesperson.
Here are a few ways that new technology is empowering the in-store sales associate and inspiring a much more connected, frictionless and enjoyable shopping experience with the customer at the center.
Big Data Powered Dashboards
Partnerships with Google and other big data aggregators are enabling retailers to equip associates with tools that can help to better connect with shoppers through interpersonal interactions. From a tablet, real-time data automatically provide associates with a personal dashboard of best next actions for client interaction, including who to reach out to, how, when and why. Associates, armed with insights about customers and their preferences, are then able to connect with customers in a more personalized and immersive way in line with the brand or retailer.
In-Store Shopping from Home
New technology enables retailers to connect an online shopper with in-store associates who can “live shop” for them in real time while in physical stores. Chico’s recently announced it has created tools to link its store associates with online sales transactions. Associates are compensated based on not only the sales they make in-store, but within their territory regardless of whether a customer is online or in-store. Technology also enables a customer to shop at their preferred local store or with their favorite sales associate. Harvey Nichols recently announced it was moving forward with AI technology to connect its online and offline offerings.
Facial Recognition
Facial recognition loyalty programs enable customers that opt into the program to be recognized when they walk into a store, and send information to an app on the sales associate's tablet. With that data, the associate can access the individual's taste profile, preferences, and other information, and be able to offer personalized recommendations via AI-enhanced analytics.
Sounds too Minority Report to be true? Believe it or not, facial recognition is already being used to personalize experiences and inspire loyalty. CaliBurger is using facial recognition technology “to provide a customized, one-on-one interactive experience at the ordering kiosk” with the goal of “offering the same kinds of benefits and conveniences in the built world that customers experience with retailers like Amazon in the digital world.”
House Calls
The downside of having all the information at your fingertips? You have all the information at your fingertips. Consumers are overwhelmed, and often put off making purchase decisions because there are simply too many options. Best Buy, who found that most of their customers shop from home, recently launched an initiative that sends associates (called consultants) in-home to offer customers tailored recommendations based on their specific needs. Associates now visit homes for free, ready to analyze a customer’s house for anything from smart home product compatibility, to repairing broken appliances or just offering ideas on new technologies that could be beneficial to a customer’s specific needs.
A recent article in Sourcing Journal touts Nordstrom for redefining men’s luxury retail in New York City. Customers are able to book a complementary appointment with a personal stylist to help curate a look, or request an in-home stylist to assist with shopping or conduct a full-closet audit for $400.
VR Training
Technology is taking role-play to a whole new level. Virtual reality is being used in stores for associate training, enabling employees to virtually practice skills with the goal of improving confidence and employee retention. Walmart is already doing it with more than a million associates across the country, and plans to deploy 17,000 VR headsets to almost all of its 5,000 stores. The goal is to offer employees the same caliber of training its managers get at the Walmart Academy facilities.
In-Ear Virtual Assistants
Pretty soon, sales associates will be able to request information through a headset similar to what consumers receive via their smart speakers. In-ear virtual assistant and voice applications aim to help sales associates collaborate with colleagues and access enterprise information systems using their voice, with the goal of allowing team members to more effectively and efficiently respond to customer requests or questions on demand without breaking eye contact.
This year we are going to see some really exciting changes which will make the shopping experience more fun and personalized for consumers, and more impactful for retailers and brands. By empowering sales associates to act more like a concierge to shoppers, connecting the back and front of the store with customers at the center, retailers and brands will ensure they continue to thrive in the continued evolution of retail with a focus on customer-centricity.
