— Report Finds Digital-First Shopping Will Continue To Grow, Making Customer Support via Online Channels More Important Than Ever —
Kustomer, an all-in-one, top-rated CRM for modern customer experiences, today releases a special report, titled, “Prepping for the Holiday Season,” designed to help retailers deliver an easy and effortless customer experience in advance of the upcoming holiday shopping period. The report was developed in response to the $789.4 billion spent during last year’s holiday shopping season, and increasing customer expectations for immediate, knowledgeable and omnichannel service.
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The impact of a more digital-first shopping experience during the pandemic meant that 2020 hit CX organizations even harder than usual. Last year, organizations were plagued by limited staff, long wait times, shipping issues and complex customer inquiries. According to the report, 68% of CX organizations said they saw a greater increase in inquiries during the 2020 holiday season versus the 2019 holiday season. In addition, 46% of CX organizations were heavily impacted by returns after the 2020 holiday season and 64% said they saw more return inquiries during the 2021 returns season versus the previous year.
Further, 85% of consumers that shopped more often in the past year plan on continuing to do so once the pandemic is over, suggesting a possible record-breaking digital holiday shopping season that will require ample online customer support. CX organizations need better knowledge and tools to adequately prepare for the expected holiday influx and deliver service that is highly customized to each individual shopper.
“Customer service is increasingly being thought of as a revenue driver and not a cost center, especially during the holiday season, a time when even one negative customer interaction can have serious consequences for brands,” said Brad Birnbaum, founder and CEO of Kustomer. “We are pleased to offer today’s retailers the insights and best-in-class technology they need to meet, and hopefully exceed, the full spectrum of customer needs during the holiday shopping rush in a cost-effective manner. In particular, consultative support during gift giving season is essential to minimizing returns, and delivering proactive messaging is key to informing customers of shipping delays and other logistical issues, preventing a deluge of service inquiries.”
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The report provides a host of valuable advice for retailers about how to scale customer service at every point on the customer journey without sacrificing the personalized, consultative support now required in a digital-first world. This includes proactive measures and how to leverage technology and tools like AI, automation and sentiment analysis.
Kustomer’s customer service CRM platform provides a single view of the customer journey, seamless omnichannel communications, and the ability to automate up to 40% of all conversations, without compromising quality. The platform has helped hundreds of the fastest growing brands like Ring and Glossier significantly improve their overall customer experience.
