In this exclusive Q&A with Retail TouchPoints, Zebra CMO Jeff Schmitz shares insights into how retailers are finding success by focusing on both the beginning and the end of the shopper journey. Throughout the entire shopping experience, digital and mobile advancements are playing a key role in improving long-term customer engagement, revenue and loyalty.
Retail TouchPoints (RTP): We’ve been talking a lot about the First Mile and the Last Mile of retail and the importance of optimizing both in order to improve the customer experience. What do you see as some of the key strategies and technologies that need to be in place in order to optimize the end-to-end customer journey?
Jeff Schmitz: Right now, e-Commerce is roughly 10% of retail, but it is growing fast. Knowing that, retailers should see an advantage for brick-and-mortar to be part of e-Commerce – particularly when it comes to the beginning of the inventory journey. One of our biggest plays is in warehousing; we’re focusing on ensuring that the warehouse is running effectively and efficiently. It’s vital to be able to identify and scan items in the warehouse out to the last mile [purchase]. Packages must move efficiently through the transportation and logistics component. Having accurate store inventory information is foundational for ensuring a positive customer experience, whether they are ordering online to pick up in the store or shopping in the store. “Out of stock” and “desired item not found” are the top two conditions that negatively impact customer satisfaction.
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When it comes to the store, we know that 76% of shoppers feel positive about it, but they also see an opportunity for technology to play a more relevant role. For example, from a location perspective when I walk in and I’m using your app, you know I’m there. If I’ve been online and I am coming in to pick up a purchase, help me do it faster. To facilitate that, retailers must make sure the customer information is easily available to the store employees.
One technology we’re continuing to look at is related to traffic and dwell time. We need to know where customers and associates are, and if customers are dwelling in one place for a certain amount of time, we can send an employee to help them. It’s all about providing operational visibility.
RTP: We know that store associates and managers are the front-line brand ambassadors. How can retail companies improve the productivity and motivation of these employees?
Schmitz: In a recent survey Zebra conducted, we found that 64% of shoppers have a greater willingness to purchase with improved customer service. To that end, sales associate skill is key; it will have a significant impact on the shopping cart. It’s important for retailers to consider their associates as ‘brand ambassadors’ rather than a ‘cost’ of doing business. Then, arming those brand ambassadors with mobile will play a big role in success inside the store. If the associate is able to stay with the shopper, look up price, product information or inventory availability, it makes a huge difference in the overall customer experience.
In one example, one of the nation’s top home improvement retailers took our device and added customer engagement applications to equip associates with the information they need: a combination of back-end product information integrated into the mobile device is a win-win!
RTP: There’s a lot of talk about declining foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores, yet statistics show that shoppers still want to touch and feel products before buying. In fact, many pure play e-Commerce retailers are opening physical stores. What can retailers do to increase in-store foot traffic, keep shoppers in the store longer and boost cart sizes?
Schmitz: One thing that came out in our study was shoppers’ desire to use their handheld device while shopping in-store. They want to be able to add to their shopping cart from home on their PC or mobile, then have that device in-store. Consumers are becoming more interested in downloading the branded app in-store in order to carry data from outside the store. So, even in a scenario when a retailer is out of stock, 66% could be turned into a sale if the shopper was sent a discount to have it sent to his or her home.
RTP: Can you share some best practices for the implementation and execution of mobile technology in stores, for both internal use and customer-facing applications?
Schmitz: One of the use cases we can provide is River Island. They have worked with partners to enhance the experience with customers through the brand ambassador/store associate. River Island partnered with Zebra to improve its back-end mobile technology. The result is more efficient interactions between staff and customers. Staff can check inventory or stock without leaving the customer’s side, complete tasks more quickly, and increase focus on assisting customers on the store floor. All of this contributes to greater store efficiencies and an improved customer experience.
When it comes to the device given to store associates, it has to be purpose built. Consumer devices don’t offer the security, efficiency and quality of enterprise devices. While the consumer device may look cool, enterprise devices are now taking on this cool, streamlined style, and because they are purpose built, you can control downloads, enjoy better battery life, and integrate business processes into the applications.
When considering applications for a mobile device, look at the overall customer experience. In Europe, for example, retailers are using our mobile devices as personal shoppers and data trackers. You can monitor spending data, send coupons in real time, and offer mobile checkout so shoppers don’t have to stand in the queue.
Jeff Schmitz is Chief Marketing Office at Zebra Technologies. He became CMO in February 2016. Schmitz most recently served as Executive Vice President for multiple business units and sales at Spirent Communications where he had previously also held several senior leadership roles including Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President Of Networks & Applications. Prior to joining Spirent, Schmitz held senior marketing positions at Rivulet Communications, Visual Networks and Tellabs Inc. Schmitz holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University and a Master of Science degree in computer science from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
