Challenges can often be met and resolved through the use of technology. And we know that clienteling applications have been proven to improve customer engagement and drive incremental sales. By adding products to outreach messages, one of our luxury retail partners increased its clienteling conversion rate by 54% in six months. Another luxury retailer generated 30% higher AOV on Tulip-influenced orders over other store orders within six months. But before you go down the path implementing a clienteling solution, there are three things you should consider.
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Clarify your objectives and KPIs
It’s important to have a clear idea of the problems you’re trying to solve and the objectives you hope to achieve by clienteling. Start by answering these questions:
- What kind of store experience do you want to provide?
- How do you want the clienteling app to interact with your digital channels?
- What impact do you expect clienteling to have on your customers?
It’s also important to determine what KPIs you’ll use to measure the success of your clienteling implementation. If you’ve chosen to work with a software development company with in-house retail experience, they’ll be able to assist you with this process.
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Assess the potential ROI
As with any technology implementation, it’s important to understand how a clienteling app will integrate into your existing store operations and how it might help you achieve a healthy return on investment (ROI). This is another instance where partnering with ex-retailers can make a significant difference. An application development company that employs or consults with former retail managers and decision-makers will be invaluable. They’ll be able to understand your processes and pain points, and they’ll be able to communicate them to the engineering and development teams responsible for integrating your clienteling solution. They’ll also be able to help identify new clienteling-related opportunities that will help drive your KPIs.
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Set your store associates up for success
Your store associates will be key success factors following the implementation process. In fact, they’ll be your best assets when it comes to utilizing a clienteling solution-they’ll be the ones using it to provide customers with exceptional shopping experiences.
Change management can’t be an afterthought. Communicate your new clienteling strategy and prepare store associates for change. Think through training well in advance of launch so they’re comfortable with the technology and new strategies for serving customers. By ensuring your associates are informed and ready for change, you’ll be helping to maximize app adoption and usage, and the impact that clienteling will have on your sales and business performance.
