1-800-Flowers.com is staying well ahead of its competition by launching a store within the Facebook community, allowing visitors to make complete purchases without leaving the page. It'll be intersting to see how many retailers will soon follow, as 1-800-Flower's track record of helping pioneer Internet and telephone retailing proves they know what they're doing.
I personally think that this will be the spark plug and tipping point for others sitting on the fence, to make the decision to move forward with their social media strategies. The longer retailers wait, the more likely they'll be playing catch up down the road.
Read more about this story in the following article.
Apparently Microsoft will opening up a couple of retail stores in Arizona and California this fall, which will be their first ones. Their corporate communications director stated in an article: "Microsoft's stores are a way for the company to introduce consumers to its products in person, but they are not meant as a product showcase or a replacement for big electronics stores ... However, Microsoft does want the stores to turn a profit".
It'll be interesting to see how this turns out, especially considering economic timing. Dell's model of having kiosks seems to be successful in communicating it's products in person with distribution still remaining in tact. On the other hand, the obvious trend of consumer shopping and researching online still makes me think about the move to bricks and mortar.
I was reading an article based on a report by Forrester Research and the National Retail Federation titled, "State of Online Retailing 2009". So far, there I've heard many tips being offered on how to survive the recession, make more out of less, etc. They all ususally overlap and sound the same, obviously with an added advantage which coincidently a product/service provider offers. One recent quote I came across, did stick out though:
“In today’s economy, retailers need to be one step ahead, especially when it comes to attracting shoppers who have money to spend,” says Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org. “Companies are investing in their web site to set them apart from their competition and make the shopping experience informative, efficient and fun.”
INFORMATIVE. EFFICIENT. FUN. These are all aligned to grab attention because of the state of the economy, but is also a reflection oftoday's audience. You'll probably notice more and more intelligent channels of customer support (ie:self-service, proactive chat). More information and interaction seem like the way to go, giving the option to keep people engaged and find the information they want if they choose to do so. It's not just website design that needs to be improved, but also strategy and thought process on how to present information, and providing the appropriate tools and channels to address any inquiries. Conversions will come - keep it fun!
With sales plateauing and margins shrinking, online retailers must optimize the use of their contact center, whether in-house or outsourced. One way to do this is to make sure that your agent staff is the best it can be.At the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition in Boson this past June, Greg Fettes from 24-7 INtouch and client Leslie Agerland from ShopNBC.com discussed how to select, identify, and motivate agent stars to ensure program goals are being met. Here are some of the main tips from their presentation that are somewhat simple in nature, and yet sometimes the first to be overlooked.
Establish a Culture of Excellence - Expect excellence throughout your organization. Lay out clear goals and tie them into your overall contact center culture. Empower your employees to add value at all levels, and accountability will come naturally.
Communicate & Share Information - Communicate what is happening within your company.Communicate program goals and where each person is doing well or needs improvement. Allow for networking to build a close culture.
Be Flexible - Contact centers have a bad reputation for being rigid in scheduling. Flexibility will result in higher retention and increased productivity in the long run.
Recognize. Recognize. Recognize - Everyone likes a pat on the back for a job well done. This is especially true for the typical younger demographic that works in the contact center. Remember to be creative – it’s not only about money! Have other incentives and perks that tie into your program goals.
Use Mentors to Build Teams - Your own employees are usually the best knowledge experts to help develop lower performing agents. Foster a mentorship atmosphere to develop tomorrow’s leaders and maintain your culture of excellence.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun - Improve morale by providing recreational facilities and break areas where employees at all levels of the company can socialize.Invite top-performing agents to company functions such as awards dinners and by reward them with perks.
Incorporate these tips into your recognition and reward strategy. The value-added ROI will be a more motivated workforce, enhanced brand, empowered agent group and higher retention of your top subject matter experts.
