18 LITRS OCTOBER 2015
big online fan. When it’s done right… So, as
I speed
from seminar to my next client, the only way
for me to
benefit from sale shopping is via my mobile,
online.
With a big shopping list, I visit 5 National retai
lers and try to
order. A couple of sites are ‘ok’ – they have
annoying glitches
– eg allowing you to browse, select and ‘add
to basket’
before telling me it’s out of stock. A further
site seems to
have some menu ‘mash-up’ problem whe
re it’s search
facility becomes random – I presume due
to sale traffic. The
final two websites are so bad, I feel I have
gone back in time.
They throw me out of the site, freeze and emp
ty my basket
– is it Black Friday all over again? Hours later,
then days later,
I manage to place some orders – which I will
live to regret.
Over the following weeks we experience orde
rs that never
arrive, items cancelled – but no funds retur
ned, a bit of fraud
from one of the courier companies who took
a shine to our
items, and nearly a month later – still awaiting
goods and refunds.
Of course, I have experience in the retail worl
d and can
stand up for my rights – but what about thos
e who can’t.
Investigating how many customers have take
n to social
media and forums about similar experienc
es with the same
retailers – I find the complaints are in abun
dance.
Ever y year, the cost to the UK businesses
due to poor customer
service, grows. Is it really acceptable to surv
ive as a business on a
‘take now’ culture? The wise brands know
it’s not. Take a look at the
new Harvey Nichols Rewards programme.
It’s smart, intelligent and
it shows appreciation at ever y spend level.
Allowing the customer to
sit in the driving seat, they can customise
their own rewards, get daily
benefits like free coffees and smoothies, and
link in their instagram.
It’s the companies that celebrate and love
their customers that will
survive and thrive. So instead of breaking
the Internet this summer,
let’s go back to those hippy days and mak
e it a ‘summer of love’.
Kate Hardcastle
The ongoing lovefest with the Kardashi
ans
and crew continues – a summer of Glas
to, Cait
and oil slicked derriere’s. The truth is
though,
as many UK multi channel businesses
fail to
prepare – you might experience a bit of
Internet
breakage yourself… or a website, at leas
t…or in
my case, my tablet out of sheer frustrati
on!
I was born for Internet shopping, despite havin
g a quite
‘hippy-heart’ – the ease, slickness and spee
d allow me
to “multitask” in an airport lounge, back of
a cab, or
calm myself when I wake from slumber to
remember I
need an astronaut replica outfit, aged 6, for
Friday.
I am a champion for a real life, retail experienc
e, and
save myself for the good stuff out of work.
The places
where it’s a joy to shop. But, day to day, awk
ward to
find, and high demand times – eg Christmas
– I’m a
I broke the internet...
OCTOBER 2015 LITRS 19