As customer behaviours become more sophisticated, retailers are now looking to technology to assist them in capturing customer data and understanding consumer patterns. What are the benefits of using touchscreen technologies?

Whereas in the past retailers have been satisfied with the snap shot of a mystery shopper or face to face interviewer, touchscreens are now replacing these limited methodologies to provide a 24/7 view of the customer experience.

Headline figures, no longer enough

A headline figure that 85% of shoppers are satisfied with customer service no longer appeases the Customer Insight Manager - they want to see how that level varies over the week, over the day and even over the hour.  This is where customer feedback devices come into their own.

Increasingly customer sensing has evolved from being a quick snap shot in time to a continual stream of information allowing trends, attitudes to be recognised and acted upon.  Real-time customer sensing information is enabling retailers to identify niche hours of activity which occur in the working day. For example: Touchscreen research technology has allowed one major supermarket chain has identified specific timeslots in the day when their customers have difficulty locating products.  Small adjustments to staffing levels have enabled them to assist customers in these periods and ultimately impact sales.

Touchscreen: identify the peaks and troughs

By using touchscreen devices retailers have the ability to identify the peaks and troughs in service levels throughout their stores at both a local and national level, enabling them to respond immediately and make changes to suit those needs of customers. Effectively now a Customer Service Manager can sit at Head Office and view service levels fluctuating over 200 stores without having to get out of his/her chair. Best and worst practice can be easily identified remotely allowing service management to focus their efforts on bringing improvements swiftly. 

One multiple retailer has been making operational amendments and changes within 24 hours as a direct response to customer feedback. This statistic alone shows just why there has been a soaring increase in touchscreen feedback especially in the retail industry.

Of course the issues of self-selection often cast a shadow on research gathered by unattended kiosks. It is important to ensure that research is not skewed by Mr Angry or little Jonny who will press any buttons whilst waiting for his mum.  CRT has worked to develop such a validation system and in independent tests by MORI, London Underground, Wales Millennium Centre & Debenhams this methodology has proved to be more accurate and guarantees more honest results compared with interviewers.

Customers and the ‘British reserve’

Perhaps this is peculiar to our island, but the famous British reserve means customers are more likely to hold back when confronted with a human interviewer, whereas with a computer they are more at ease to explain their real feelings.  Also the embarrassment of not knowing an answer or running out of time is avoided.  London Underground customers’ usual “plague-like avoidance” of interviewers disappears and they have responded well to the CRT feedback devices.

“Its easy and you know it won’t take too long” (Jubilee Line Customer interviewed by London Underground)

Where is dissatisfaction occurring?

The touchscreen records the feedback allowing retailers to see where dissatisfaction is occurring within their stores. This could potentially lead to the obtainment of lost customers and turning them into purchasing customers. This creates a mass of return on investment for many retailers, a factor which is vital in this industry.

But as ever perhaps the most persuasive reason stems from the ‘old finances.’ On average a 65% saving on research costs can be made in comparison to interviewers and paper based surveys. Feedback devices should only be seen as another tool in the ‘research kitbag.’ 

Use an ‘early warning system’

It is my opinion that its most effective use is as an early warning system – identifying issues that are occurring whether it be best or worst practice.  But other methodologies such as focus groups, face to face interviewers are better equipped to dig deeper to unearth the reasons behind the response.  It is in effect like an archaeological dig.  First step get a digger to scrape away all the topsoil until you get to something really interesting.  At that point a human touch is needed to expertly scrape away until the heart of the matter can be seen.

In research human contact is essential to understand the subtleties expressed by respondents but equally at initial stages human subtleties of interviewers are to be avoided as they influence the respondent.  The introduction of technology to replace people has for hundreds of years evoked passions to run high.  For those with Tolpuddlesque tendencies to cry foul, please note retailers have spoken and are increasingly – technology for research is here to stay.

By Richard Gamble, BA Econ MCIM
Sales & Marketing Director,
Customer Research Technology

Email: richg@crtsolutions.co.uk
Web: http://www.crtsolutions.co.uk
 
About Richard Gamble
Richard Gamble founded Customer Research Technology in 2000 and it has become the market leader and one of the fastest growing technology companies in the UK today. Dealing with clients such as MORI, London Underground and Debenhams, Richard is now a recognised spokesman on capturing customer survey data using kiosks.

Customer Research Technology holds a unique place within the market research industry. With a range of interactive survey devices and unique software solutions, they enable clients to collect customer feedback ‘at the point of experience’.

Richard is also a judge for the National Customer Services awards.