nShift: Communication key to delivering an online shopping experience consumers crave

90% of consumers see quick and timely communication as a critical part of ecom experience - and will spend elsewhere if they don’t get it.

nShift, the global leader in parcel delivery management software, highlights the clear commercial imperative to get communication in the customer experience (CX) right. Some 90% of customers consider quick responses and communication quality as important to their overall experience. Moreover, some 87% of consumers spend less with, or completely abandon, brands that don’t provide great service.

nShift’s report, “Delivering for shoppers in 2024” explains that how retailers differentiate on CX will be a defining trend in retail this year.

“Consumers don’t expect to compromise the quality of their experience just because they’re shopping online,” said Sean Sherwin-Smith, Product Director Post-Purchase, nShift. “They expect regular and relevant communication. And they presume that this communication will come to them through the channels – phone, social media, email – that work for them. Communicating with customers throughout the shopping, delivery and returns experience is also a fantastic way to build brand loyalty with shoppers and to keep them coming back for more.”

Five tips to curb the cost of poor CX

To help retailers create the best possible CX, nShift has the following five tips:

• Delivery choices at checkout - choice is an essential component of a good delivery experience. It’s important that retailers ensure they offer delivery options that suit their customers. Regardless of whether their priority is speed, cost, or convenience.
• Enhance customer communication - tools and technologies such as automated notifications and real-time tracking provide transparency and improve communication. Post-purchase communications also help establish highly-engaged retail marketing channels that build customer loyalty
• Make returns simple - simple returns are a key driver of customer loyalty and retention. The right returns policy, implemented well, can minimize losses, and turn up to 30% of refunds to exchanges
• Prioritize carriers that match your objectives – ensure a wide range of carriers to meet customers’ every demand: express and low-cost, low-emissions, PUDO (pick up and drop off) lockers, click and collect
• Get to know your customers - taking ownership of customer data will furnish retailers with the insight they need to join all the dots in the customer journey and deliver the smoothest possible experience. And with insight into a customer’s shopping history and delivery preferences, a retailer can make recommendations for future purchases

Sherwin-Smith concluded, “New technologies continue to create new possibilities. At nShift, our portfolio of solutions enables ecom and multi-channel retailers to create a seamless delivery experience from checkout to returns. Getting deliveries right can turbo-charge the customer experience, increase conversions and turn one-off transactions into life-long customer relationships.”

Download Delivering for shoppers in 2024 to find out more.

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