retail
A personal touch
The ‘store for one’ and personalisation of the
customer journey are the inevitable future of retail
By Reint Jan Holterman, Global Product Marketing Manager Retail Software, Diebold Nixdorf –
www.dieboldnixdorf.com
Every year around this time I face a
challenge that I’m sure is familiar to
many of us: buying the perfect gift for my
wife’s birthday. This year, however, my
shopping journey went a little differently
than in years past. Two weeks prior
to her birthday, one of my favourite
online shopping sites sent me an email
reminding me of the impending date. I
was able to click through the email and
immediately order the espresso machine
I’d added to a wish list months ago.
Upon ordering the machine, the site
suggested a cool pair of espresso coffee
cups with matching dessert plates. After
completing my transaction, I received
a personalised coupon for a future
purchase. Can you imagine this series of
carefully choreographed events taking
place even a few years ago?
The Personalisation of retail
A recent article from McKinsey identified
five things consumers say they value
when it comes to personalised
interactions with stores and brands:
1. Relevant recommendations they
might not have thought of on their
own
2. Communication with a brand while
they’re in ‘shopping mode’
3. Reminders of things they might not
be keeping track of
4. Recognition, no matter where they
are on their journey
5. Meaningful interactions
Taking the points above into
consideration, my online shopping
experience ticked the box on number
three – reminding me about the
birthday. The first point was covered
in that I was offered a relevant option
to pair with the espresso machine, and
the fifth by offering me a coupon for my
return visit. This new approach, in which
every aspect of the shopping experience
becomes more personalised, is positive
for both consumers and retailers:
KIOSK solutions 13