How to Drive Higher In-store Revenue with Online Scheduling

Transcription

1 How to Drive Higher In-store Revenue with Online Scheduling

2 Table of Contents Introduction Embracing the Phygital Experience Driving In-Store Interaction in the Digital Age Seamless Scheduling Automation that Augments the CRM System Scheduling Bridges the Digital Divide Measurable Results in Sales, ROI SUMO Scheduler Resources Contact

3 Introduction The sustained growth in retail e-commerce sales has presented both challenges and opportunities for traditional brick-and-mortar companies. Many of the opportunities stem from the ability to sell across both digital and physical channels in a way that creates a personalized customer experience. To do this transparently, retailers need the most efficient technologies for managing customer interactions but conventional customer relationship management (CRM) systems may leave gaps that are better addressed with specialized tools that foster additional customer engagement. One opportunity for improving CRM is scheduling automation technology that integrates seamlessly with the CRM system to bridge the gap between digital and physical customer interaction. With a simple click, customers can set up a range of in-store encounters that create the personalized experience today s consumers demand. For retailers, these systems also provide the functionality, visualization and metrics that optimize work-shift planning and foster consumer bonding with their brand. 2

4 Embracing the Phygital Experience While traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have been challenged by the growth in online shopping, projected to rise from $446.6 billion in 2017 to over $700 billion in 2022,1 the good news is that consumers still value a meaningful in-store experience from their favorite brands. Recent data suggests that consumers still want to make retail purchases in person, from cars and appliances to clothing and jewelry.2 Although the majority of shoppers typically start sta their purchasing journey in digital channels, their online or mobile cart is often abandoned for a more experiential purchase at the store. 3 For this reason, it s important for a retailer to create a seamless experience across all digital and physical channels. One way to create a seamless experience that drives customer loyalty is through personalized offers, promotions and recognition across both digital and physical channels, according to a KPMG report. 4 From the purchase to the after-sales service, retailers have an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage that drives revenue. As KPMG describes, Retailers that are performing well have connected their physical and digital presence to deliver an enhanced customer experience. A seamless hand-off between and among technologies, and in-store during single and multiple journeys is becoming a must as customers come to expect a phygital experience. 4 A seamless hand-off between and among technologies, and in-store during single and multiple journeys is becoming a must as customers come to expect a phygital experience. Enterprise customer relationship management (CRM) systems have greatly improved access to customers and valuable customer data and trends, but their focus on the larger customer picture sometimes overlooks incremental technologies that can bolster sales and revenue. One area for improvement is scheduling automation, which helps to create the cohesive phygital environment customers want as well as the customer access that retail stores need to prosper. 3

5 Driving In-Store Interaction in the Digital Age For retailers, the days of depending on attractive physical storefronts that tantalize walk-in sales are gone. Consumers today don t have to go to physical stores anymore, so experts say retailers should give them a reason to want to visit.5 A key aspect of creating an appealing, personalized in-store experience is the ability to get time with a knowledgeable customer associate. One study showed that 68% of consumers say that it s absolutely critical or very important to interact with a salesperson who understands their preferences or needs, and 75% find it critical or very important to interact with a salesperson who is available when they need them.6 Other research has shown that 58% of customers agree that in-store service is the best channel for getting a tailored experience.7 What the consumers say 68% 75% 58% Say it s critical to interact with a salesperson who understands their needs Say that It s critical to interact with a salesperson who is available when they need them Agree that in-store service is the best channel for getting a tailored experience In-store services like personal shopping assistance, makeovers, fittings, test drives, product demonstrations or special offerings and events can keep customers engaged in the store, but they want this engagement to fit into their busy work and life schedules and with minimal effort. Research indicates that more than 40% of customers are discouraged from shopping at physical stores because of crowds and long lines, especially during busy seasons,8 so making it convenient for them to meet with a sales associate is paramount in achieving the personalization consumers crave. 4

6 Driving In-Store Interaction in the Digital Age But how can retailers optimize time with their busy sales associates in a way that still provides customers with easy, convenient access? Scheduling automation is a technology that bridges the gap between the digital and physical experience and augments a retailer s CRM system, which usually only provides a calendaring tool that is specific to the user rather than a scheduling tool that is visible across an entire organization or department. A scheduling tool allows customers to use a computer, smartphone or tablet to easily schedule time for a variety of personalized in-store services or communicate with a salesperson without waiting in line or on the phone. From the retailer s app, website or , a customer simply clicks an icon containing an embedded scheduling link to set up various types of appointments or respond to invitations as determined by the retailer at his or her convenience. This interaction is clearly branded as the retailer s and the technology is transparent to the customer. Retail sales associates must juggle many tasks, so it s important to carve out time for one-on-one customer interaction. Customer self-scheduling is one way to reduce the time sales associates spend on scheduling meetings with prospective customers. Combined with automated appointment reminders and invitations, this eliminates pesky and inefficient phone tag, tag and appointment no-shows. 5

7 Driving In-Store Interaction in the Digital Age When a scheduling link is used in the associate s outbound s or a retailer s app or website, customers gain scheduling control. The customer easily selects an appointment time from available open time slots. An added convenience is that this is an activity that can be done any time of day or night since the link is not dependent on store hours, which is critical, as observations show that 40% of appointments are booked after hours. 9 And, when scheduling is convenient and appointments are helpful and meaningful, it translates to brand loyalty, repeat sales and higher revenue. 40% Appointments are booked after hours Brand Loyalty Repeat Sales Higher Revenue 6

8 Major jewelry retailer boosts sales with scheduling automation The largest specialty jeweler in the U.S., U.K. and Canada wanted to find a competitive edge to expand its client base and increase revenues for three of its key retail brands. The goal was to increase revenue to carry the businesses through the daily sales cycles and boost sales for an upcoming holiday season. Using ipads, sales consultants had easy access to stock availability by location, product information and client profiles, and customers received a complimentary warranty with many purchases. To maintain the warranty, customers had to bring the jewelry in for regular cleaning and inspection. All appointment scheduling, rescheduling and special occasion reminders were by phone only. 24/7 365 customer access for appointment scheduling 2,000+ locations are using self-scheduling 19,000+ appointments scheduled since implementation 20,000 retail sales reps using appointment automation 7

9 Measurable results in sales, ROI Because it was a Salesforce-native scheduling tool, the director of multi-channel for the specialty jeweler chose SUMO to integrate with its custom Salesforce ipad clienteling application. The tool was deployed to 20,000 consultants in over 2,000 locations. SUMO automated reminders and self-scheduling to decrease no-shows and time spent calling clients. A three-way reminder engine sends reminders via , while a self-scheduling button embedded into the website lets clients schedule an appointment at their convenience. Clients now make in-store appointments from the website, 24/7, from any device. Rather than playing phone tag with a client, consultants are now focused on selling. SUMO also provided automated load balancing to evenly and fairly distribute appointments among the sales consultants. An equally valuable feature for the jewelry retailer was SUMO s customizable analytics tool. Management teams now have a more effective way to analyze the business with insightful data like appointment volumes and quota fulfillment by branch. The results have been significant in terms of sales and ROI for the scheduling automation tool. We ve experienced a 12% increase in revenue and an over 23-times ROI since automating scheduling at our roughly 2,000 stores. Director of multi-channel for major jewelry retailer 8

10 Seamless Scheduling Automation that Augments the CRM System Many mid- to large-sized retailers implement enterprise CRM systems to manage and track customer interactions, as well as manage the overall sales cycle. However, these systems typically provide a calendar and don t automate the scheduling process, leading to an inefficient scheduling process that often involves multiple, time-consuming manual steps outside the main CRM system. Scheduling automation offers customers easy self-scheduling through a retailer s app, website or social media/ link, while providing retailers a range of visual and data-driven insights into managing work shifts. Here are some key characteristics to look for in a scheduling automation tool: 100% Native to the CRM System Being 100% native means that planners and other users stay within the CRM environment when using the scheduling tool; they see it immediately when logging into the CRM system. They don t have to export data outside the system to a non-native scheduling tool or even to Excel for manual scheduling. Customer Data is Protected From an IT standpoint, being 100% native means the scheduling automation tool runs on the same platform as the CRM system and has a plug-and-play setup, so implementation is easy. It also means that it preserves the CRM system s security so that data access is controlled and customer information is protected. This is critical, as many retailers have experienced high profile-data breaches and strong cybersecurity provides a competitive advantage. 10 9

11 Seamless Scheduling Automation that Augments the CRM System Full Customization to a Retailer s Specific Needs A scheduling automation vendor should understand that each retailer s requirements are different and provide full customization to meet various needs. The vendor should thoroughly analyze customer requirements, perform a gap analysis and provide a full statement of work for the installation. The scheduling automation tool should first deploy in the sandbox environment of the CRM system to make sure that it adheres to the system s workflows and custom fields before deployment to production. Transparent to the Customer When customers click on links for scheduling through a retailer s app, website or social media/ link, the front end to the scheduling automation tool should appear fully branded to the retailer in terms of logos, scheduling sites, colors, /text message templates and appointment options. As the customer enters contact information, the scheduling tool automatically collects data for the CRM system. Because the two are linked, there is no need for additional steps to capture the information. Robust Behind-The-Scenes Features for Retail Users The back end of the scheduling tool empowers planners and other users to manage appointments in the most optimal way to meet business needs. It automates customer reminders and appointment invitations and provides creative work-shift tools for managing employee schedules, appointment rescheduling and no-show alerts. A full-service full-se scheduling tool has a wide range of features, from those that automate tasks like reminders and invitations to detailed reporting and a library of relevant documents. The time (and money) savings gained through these features are substantial. For example, automated appointment scheduling sends reminders prior to an appointment, captures history for follow-ups, generates reports for management and keeps reference documents handy all without manually scrolling through past s for information. 10

12 Seamless Scheduling Automation that Augments the CRM System Results Tracking and Dashboards Retailers sometimes have difficulty measuring the success of new strategies and technologies for improving sales and customer experience. Because it tracks a wealth of data related to appointments and employees, a scheduling automation tool gives the retailer access to valuable metrics and their visualization via dashboards. Comprehensive Support Beyond Implementation A retailer s needs are constantly changing along with trends, so a scheduling tool s support team should be ready to work one-on-one not only to resolve issues, but to update and improve the interface and features across the tool s lifecycle. Scheduling is a critical, but sometimes overlooked, piece of the CRM puzzle for retailers that are constantly striving to preserve their storefronts in the face of growing digital sales. But as research shows, a physical store presence is a priority for consumers who still enjoy a tactile experience with products and face-to-face interaction with sales associates who are knowledgeable about their preferences. Scheduling automation bridges the digital divide between the device and the store to create a convenient and personalized experience that builds retailer revenue. 11

13 SUMO Scheduler: Scheduling Automation for Salesforce SUMO Scheduler is a 100% native Salesforce application for scheduling automation. It bridges the gap between a retailer s digital and physical channels by offering easy scheduling options that complement your Salesforce calendar. Its major features include: Online Appointment Scheduler From any device, customers click on branded buttons on your website, app, social media or s to set up appointments by stepping through an easy set of questions: Where: Schedules for multiple store locations scheduler considers customer proximity. What: Supports customized appointment options test drive, fitting, product demo, etc. Who: Filters for sales associate requirements language, expertise, etc. When: Converts for different time zones. Books/Finalizes: Collects customer contact information for Salesforce purposes. Reminder Engine The SUMO Reminder Engine sends automated appointment reminders, including text messages and reminders. It even calls customers to remind them of appointments. This functionality reduces no-shows and increases staff utilization. Real-Time Calendar Integration The Salesforce platform includes a host of calendar integration solutions with the most common calendar platforms adopted by enterprise companies, including Google and Microsoft Exchange, Outlook and Office 365. This lets you remain appointment and availability aware across all users on the platform. 12

14 SUMO Scheduler: Scheduling Automation for Salesforce Assignment Engine Manage your workforce more fairly and effectively by letting SUMO schedule customer meetings with sales consultants based on various methods: round-robin, location, specific service, staff priority, employee load balance, or a combination. Advance Work Shift Calendar The SUMO calendar gives you complete control over your entire workforce. Its features include scheduling at your locations or at the customer location, color coding, drag-and-drop rescheduling, room scheduling, no-show warning indicator, support for multiple locations, proximity search, and much more. Invite Wizard Control when customers schedule by clicking a Send Appointment Invite button in Salesforce to send an invitation to someone to self-schedule an appointment with a sales consultant. Your branded invitation can stipulate appointment type, duration, expiration and more. Analytics and Dashboard Builder SUMO s out-of-the-box analytics track staff utilization, appointment volumes, no-shows, reminder engine success and more. You can create your own custom reports, custom dashboards, and even have them ed to you and others automatically on a recurring interval. 13

15 Scheduling Bridges the Digital Divide Scheduling is a critical, but sometimes overlooked, piece of the CRM puzzle for retailers that are constantly striving to preserve their storefronts in the face of growing digital sales. But as research shows, a physical store presence is a priority for consumers who still enjoy a tactile experience with products and face-to-face interaction with sales associates who are knowledgeable about their preferences. Scheduling automation bridges the digital divide between the device and the store to create a convenient and personalized experience that builds retailer revenue. If your retail business is looking for a scheduling automation solution, carefully research your prospective vendor to make sure it can provide the security, ongoing support and features that achieve your business goals now and in the future. With the right vendor, the tangible and non-tangible return on your scheduling automation investment can be immediately measured and you won t be disappointed by the outcome. Scheduling Automation 14

16 References retail, wholesale and distribution outlook, Deloitte. 15

17