Retail’s contactless future is here

How your organization can put the right pieces into place

As the U.S. economy reopens, consumer concerns are rising around exactly how to return to stores safely. Activities that used to be completely normal, like touching a pin pad, handing cash to a clerk, opening a door or trying on clothes, are being examined under a new light. Not only must retailers rethink the in-store experience, but they must consider how these new concerns will impact membership programs that drive brand loyalty and increase customer value.

When redesigning customer experiences to be contactless, understanding customers’ concerns is crucial. The best way to understand customers is to design your strategy by nailing down outcomes first. To do this, retailers can prototype possible solutions to obtain feedback on their usability. Retailers will also need to implement the technology and infrastructure that will support contactless solutions in real-time, which will include personalization and geolocation, and may involve updating the overall operations systems of organizations. Unified customer data, mobile experience strategy and proactive communication will all play a role in achieving safe and satisfying contactless engagement.

Though uncertainty remains for the future, contactless retail models are here to stay. By keeping a focus on what customers ultimately want, retailers can rethink how they deliver pioneering customer experiences in a contactless world. The outcome for them will be resilience to constant, and sometimes unexpected, change.

Read the original article at Retail Customer Experience.

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