On Windows: The impact poor quality product information has on customer experience is often overlooked. The reasons for this are complex. Fixing the data is seen as difficult, expensive and no one department has responsibility for product data quality. ERP systems developed to support stores were simply not designed to provide the rich, customer centric information demanded by today's multi-channel shoppers. New channels were initially separate departments and business processes evolved that are distinct from those of the core business.
Whatever the cause, the consequences can be severe. Compromised site navigation, poor search results, inflexible categorisation and the lack of sufficient information to enable customers to understand, let alone compare, products.
The impact goes beyond the online channel. Different teams work on the product details for online, catalogue, call-centre and in-store consumption. Working in isolation with little collaboration leads to escalating costs. Without a single source of extensive, accurate product information customers using multiple channels receive inconsistent information leading to potential confusion and lost sales.
