One of the long-standing recipes for success in business is to keep your customers happy. Business management consulting firm, McKinsey & Co., even states that 70% of buying experiences are based on how customers feel they’re being treated. With customer service accounting for such a massive portion of the purchase decision, why wouldn’t a business do everything they could to improve the in-store experience?
We’re constantly working with businesses in retail and hospitality to improve the in-store experience with customer-centric projects and innovative technologies to make them more competitive. And when executed in the right way, these projects can not only meet customers’ needs and expectations but also provide businesses with significant ROI through increased sales and customer retention.
Comcast, a leading provider of communications, entertainment and cable products and services, opened STUDIO XFINITY, its brand new concept retail store in Chicago, Ill, U.S., designed to improve customer service. Blending the company’s extensive range of products and services into a one-of-a-kind experience, customers are able to test out products for themselves before purchasing.
“STUDIO XFINITY is a transformational retail environment designed to give our customers new ways to experience our products and service,” said John Crowley, senior vice president of Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region, in the company’s news article. “STUDIO XFINITY is a significant investment and is part of a much larger effort underway here in Chicago and around the country to redefine the customer experience.”
The store comes at a time when companies like Comcast have fallen out of favor with consumers. A Consumer Reports survey of 24 cable companies found Comcast rated among the lowest of its peers in customer satisfaction. Further, public backlash over poor customer service incidents and the imminent threat of cord cutting has made it important for the company to rebuild its reputation with its customers.
Leveraging innovative customer service features and technology, STUDIO XFINITY has placed customer experience at the heart of its store. STUDIO XFINITY includes a state-of-the-art demonstration area for customers to test its Internet, video, and home automation products, while also featuring handheld Bouncepad Lounge units installed throughout its store for users to interact with. Comcast is also providing an Enhanced Customer Engagement Model, which provides customers a store associate as they enter, guiding them throughout the store, answering questions and providing support. And similar to an Apple Store, customers can schedule appointments with a store associate ahead of their arrival, while employees use a Customer Timeline app to streamline customer service and immediately pull up the customer’s account information and history.
Comcast’s store is part of a wider trend we’re going to see moving forward in retail; customer-centric retail stores focused around service delivery. It’s no longer enough to install various retail technology solutions in-store and expect them to automatically improve customer experience. Instead, retailers must install tools and technologies that bring customers value during staff and customer interactions, as well at those various self-service touch points throughout any given retail store.