IBM has announced the findings of its ‘2016 Global Customer Experience Index Study’.
The results gave an outline of the Australian retail sector, emphasising the room for improvement in cross-channel and omnichannel experience, convenience and personalisation for customers.
Key findings:
- Disparity between channel experiences: Australian retailers received a rating of 54 per cent for providing a consistent experience across channels, behind both the UK (60 per cent) and US (55 per cent).
- Better utilisation of data/analytics: only 19 per cent of participating Australian retailers provide personalised-name, product content and marketing messages in at least one digital channel (with authentication).
- Australian retailers are beginning to adapt new technologies: only 45 per cent globally offer additional product information via a digital device in-store, compared with 62 per cent in Australia.
- Still some tech teething issues: ‘click and collect’ is now offered by 62 per cent of Australian retailers, yet they received a rating of only 33 per cent for the in-store collection experience.
- In-store personalisation via technology an opportunity: only 19 per cent of retailers are currently welcoming customers in-store via push notifications, self-service kiosks or other technology devices.
“With the growth of online commerce, Australian retailers have rushed to provide a true omnichannel experience for consumers,” IBM Interactive Experience Partner Ian Wong said. “The result has been an increased focus on social and digital engagement, but there’s still a large expectation gap in the more traditional face-to-face interactions, like in-store and call centres.
“While Australian retailers are providing a better overall customer experience in comparison with others, they still need to work on homogenising this experience across all channels to give customers the consistency they desire.”