Tag: secret shopper

The holiday season brings out more examples of how competitive the retail landscape is in a sluggish economy.   For example, stores start well before the traditional start of the holiday season to advertise offers.  They hope that by starting earlier, they will entice customers to purchase from them, as opposed to the competition.  Another reason stores increase early efforts is the fear that customers will be more reluctant to spend as weeks go by.

Customers express their dissatisfaction with companies in many ways: in person, via customer satisfaction surveys, or through email.  But how do companies address customers who voice their negative opinions online without communicating complaints directly to the business?   If you’re AT&T, you seek out unhappy customers who vent elsewhere.  New software allows AT&T to monitor what customers say via Twitter.  With the software, AT&T managers gain additional data on customer complaints and put solutions into action faster.

Developing creative ways to capture more sales and increase customer satisfaction is essential for retail companies during tough economic times, and especially during the holidays.   Borders Books recently announced an initiative to win more customers with its “Customer Commitment.”  In an effort to capture the sale, even if the store does not have the item in stock, Borders makes an offer to customers to find the item online and ship to them with free shipping.    A low-price promise is also part of the Customer Commitment, because Borders promises to match a competitor’s advertised, in-store price. 

Confero is pleased to sponsor the “Triangle Goes Red for Women” Luncheon again this coming year, which will be held on May 6, 2011 at the Sheraton in Raleigh.  Elaine Buxton, Confero CEO and President, serves on the Triangle Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team, which leads local efforts to raise awareness of heart disease in women.  

Online sales are expected to increase 7-9% this holiday season as compared to other retail sales, which are expected to jump 2%.  Just as measuring customer experience in stores and over the phone is eye-opening; measuring the online experience enables companies to gain feedback that can lead to improved offerings.  In the retail environment, managers can overhear and observe customer interactions.  Managers can't make concrete observations during an online experience, so some type of measurement mechanism for online experiences is even more imperative.