Don't Forget The Thank You: The Importance Of Post-Sales Service In Omni-Channel Shopping
By Hannah Ash, contributing writer
When a customer buys an item from one venue and picks it up at another, it’s the modern approach to shopping which, by necessity, can ditch the less important details of things like more old-fashioned customer service. Though most shoppers today prefer convenience to niceties, they also prefer deals to loyalty; post-sales service can play a valuable role in upping customer loyalty and giving customers a more seamless shopping experience. When customers order and get fulfillment through multiple channels, they’re not thinking of it that way. They think of it as one store, one shopping path. Customers still expect, and want, that meaningful ‘Thank You’ at the end of their shopping experience.
New research shows: post-sales service matters. As stated in the October 2013 Aberdeen report Omni-Channel Customer Care,“from a customer perspective, the sale is only part of the brand journey. Good customer service is key to securing their return and goodwill, with speed of response (89%) and resolution (89%) ranking the most important aspects of the customer service experience.” According to global products lead at Avanade, Fabio Chiodini, “post-sales service can make or break a customer’s relationship with a retailer. It’s the retailer’s opportunity to turn a potentially negative experience into a positive outcome. By reacting quickly to the customer’s needs and acting fast to resolve any issues, retailers can engender long-term loyalty. And by ensuring that the context and experience from each channel carries over to the next touchpoints, retailers can guarantee consistent conversations and improved customer care.”
Ravi Bagal, VP and global managing director at Verizon, previously stated, “There may be a magic moment where you may be converted from a shopper to a buyer even before you enter a brick-and-mortar store or a website. Then there may be a set of things that happen after you buy, whether that is post-transaction services or a conversation about the experience on social networks. If that’s true, then omni-channel gives the retailer an opportunity to insert itself into the conversation at all the critical touch points when the consumer is in the mode of thinking and researching. An omni-channel retailer will create information and content that educates and delights the consumer that can be deployed at any of the places the consumer may be.”
If post-transaction customer service carries so much weight, what is the best way for retailers to handle this often overlooked piece of the sales puzzle? Social media and email marketing may be one way to stay in touch, post-purchase. Brands most invested in their social media and email newsletter efforts may be able to leverage these platforms for increased post-sales transactions. Retailers such as Nordstrom, who are investing in personalized texting platforms, may be able to issue a simple Thank You post-sale.