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DXC Eclipse | White Paper

CRM delights the armchair shopper

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CRM delights the armchair shopper Online shopping has not killed the retail store, but it has changed it forever. Today’s savvy customer is spoiled in terms of price, personalisation and overall shopping experience, and competitive retailers must be ready to meet their customers’ expectations. Retailers must understand their customers and be in tune with their wants and needs. To encourage customers to buy, retailers need to offer a consistent user experience across all channels.

In this new age of “armchair competitive shopping,” by the time customers walk into a store, they are likely to have extensively researched a product before they decide to buy. This puts an enormous amount of pressure on retailers to keep their sales staff as up to date on the latest products, prices and market trends as their well-informed customers are. Customers also know that companies gather extensive information about them. In return, they expect to receive personalised offers that are tailored to their needs and preferences.

Many retailers still hesitate to implement new customer relationship management (CRM) technology that will assist them in gathering and analysing customer data across the omnichannel. These retailers are making the best of disconnected systems where inventory, online, in-store and customer data are all kept in their own silos and are unable to connect in real time. The more time retailers take to upgrade to an integrated, single-data retail model, the further behind they will be in meeting their customers’ expectations.

The key is to have the right CRM technology in place to deliver a seamless customer experience. This white paper explores the future of CRM in the retail technology context and outlines some of the solutions to consider for today’s retail transformation.

CRM: The framework for personalised retail

Regardless of the popularity of online shopping, customers are still choosing to buy in-store, but their expectations have changed. Consequently, the role of the sales associate becomes that of a facilitator rather than a cashier. There are two concepts for in-store retail: clienteling and self-service.

Clienteling

Clienteling sees the salesperson combine extensive product knowledge with deep customer engagement. This can be delivered through mobile point of sale (POS) solutions that offer detailed product information as well as customer data (purchase history, loyalty data, delivery information, etc.) that is collected and managed within a CRM system. With POS data linked to the CRM system in-store, the salesperson has a full picture of the customer’s preferences (based on the data and profiling held in the CRM system) and can then tailor the shopping experience to suit the customer in-store, in real time.

Retailers must be in tune with their customers’ wants and needs, offering a consistent experience across all channels.

Table of contents

CRM: The framework for personalised retail 2

Clienteling 2

Self-service 3

The power of mobile CRM 3

Integrated data delivering the new retail experience 4

What’s next? 4

Why work with DXC Eclipse? 5

Why DXC Eclipse? 5

DXC Eclipse | White Paper

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Self-service

Customers have already demonstrated a willingness to serve themselves in a store via self-service checkouts and kiosks. For these technologies to be useful and valid, they must be intuitive and easy to use, and they must also connect with the customer’s own personal data. This means having access to CRM data via a self-service function to ensure that the customer receives the same quality of shopping experience even if he or she chooses not to engage with a salesperson.

The power of mobile CRM

Traditionally, customers would explore a store, choose items to buy and then proceed to a dedicated checkout area to complete their purchase. By combining mobile POS technology with inventory and product data as well as associated customer data from CRM, the salesperson can deliver value-added service to the fitting room door.

For a salesperson, a mobile device featuring CRM and social data lets him or her engage more deeply with the customer, increasing the chances of making a sale and adding value to the sales experience. This includes the ability to look up customer information and, based on purchase behaviour, suggest complementary items, offer discounts and provide purchasing and delivery options according to the customer’s preferences.

Using this type of technology, the sales associate can focus on imparting information that is more likely to close the sale or increase the value of the sale, rather than asking the customer for information. For example, a customer may be browsing a certain section of a wine shop. Based on their location in the store and previous interactions, the sales representative can offer information such as bulk discounts, ability to home-deliver, suggestions for new brands to try from similar regions and more.

A customer trying on clothes in the fitting room can hand preferred items directly to the salesperson, who can then use the integrated mobile device to do any number of things, including:

• Check past preferences and offer suggestions based on in-store stock availability

• Find complementary items in-store and offer them to the customer

• Provide additional information about the source of the items

• Offer advice on how to wear certain pieces, accompanied by images of models demonstrating the look via social media

• Ring up the sale and apply any discounts

DXC Eclipse | White Paper

DXC Eclipse | White Paper

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Integrated data delivering the new retail experience

This type of enhanced on-the-spot customer engagement in stores is possible only if the retail enterprise resource planning (ERP) and mobile POS solution are integrated with an effective customer relationship management (CRM) system. The CRM system gathers the customer information and can analyse it to generate specific marketing opportunities, such as promotions.

Customers know very well that companies gather their information this way, so they expect to be offered targeted campaigns. At the same time, the salesperson should be aware of the campaigns and offers that have been sent to the customer and reference them while making the sale.

These campaigns are even more effective when the sales associate becomes an active part of the marketing process. Instead of emailing an event invitation from a centralised marketing contact, which can be perceived as impersonal, the company can enlist the sales associate to contact the customer to personally invite them. Because there is already a relationship in place, the invitation is more likely to be accepted.

The key is to interact with the customer in the way that customer prefers, seamlessly and intuitively. If the customer prefers self-service, then that system should be easy to use. If the customer prefers to interact with a salesperson, then that customer should receive a high-quality service engagement.

By combining CRM with ERP, salespeople gain visibility into critical data such as transaction history, preferences and website activity, including items on the wish list or in abandoned shopping carts, as well as information about whether items are in stock, estimated delivery times and fulfilment options. By training the sales team in how to analyse and use this information, retailers can improve the customer experience and increase sales.

What’s next?

With so many technology options, it can be daunting for retailers to understand exactly how to leverage the right solutions for their needs. Retailers should start by understanding their customers, both their needs and their preferences. Any technology implementation should be driven by the customer and by their unique data.

For many in the industry, mobile POS is less likely to replace traditional sales methods and more likely to enhance them by providing an additional in-store sales tool. Retailers who choose to leverage their CRM data and use it in conjunction with ERP alongside the new mobile POS technologies will be the most successful in winning the in-store customer. These customers will see the true benefit of the omnichannel experience delivered in-store.

Raising the bar in terms of customer expectations can be costly. It involves a strong commitment and investment in continuous improvement as well as the latest technology. These investments will yield maximised returns as retailers are better able to understand their customers, deliver on their brand promises and ultimately gain loyal customers in-store and online — resulting in increased sales and higher profit margins.

Today’s retail supply chain needs to be smart and integrated, enabling access to the right data so that products are in the right place, at the right time, for the right price.

DXC Eclipse | White Paper

Why work with DXC Eclipse?

Moving to Microsoft Dynamics 365 requires careful planning to get maximum benefits with minimal risk. Businesses need to ensure that the move is seamless, successful and nondisruptive.

In a challenging economic and competitive environment, organisations need the right infrastructure and technology in place to help them work smarter and pivot easily to meet customer demand. It is vital to future-proof businesses through digital transformation. Implementing the best technology with the right partner puts businesses in the ideal position to outperform and outmanoeuvre the competition.

Why DXC Eclipse?

DXC Eclipse, a practice within DXC Technology, helps enterprise and mid-market companies accelerate digital transformation, solve business challenges and deliver intelligent solutions that make a difference for clients, employees and partners. We believe in delivering expertise, project transparency and excellent customer service in every engagement.

With team members in North America, EMEA, Asia and Australia-New Zealand, we are uniquely positioned to deliver Microsoft Dynamics 365, ERP, CRM, business process, analytics and collaboration solutions to clients across the globe. The largest independent Microsoft Dynamics partner in the world, DXC Eclipse serves more than 4,000 clients across multiple industries. Our practice delivers services and solutions that positively impact our world today and into the future.

Any technology implementation must be driven by customer needs and preferences.

About DXC Technology

DXC Technology (DXC: NYSE) is the world’s leading independent, end-to-end IT services company, serving nearly 6,000 private and public-sector clients from a diverse array of industries across 70 countries. The company’s technology independence, global talent and extensive partner network deliver transformative digital offerings and solutions that help clients harness the power of innovation to thrive on change. DXC Technology is recognised among the best corporate citizens globally. For more information, visit www.dxc.technology.

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