Marketing
If conversational commerce isn't a priority retailers may be saying goodbye to customers
Conversational commerce matters as customers expect to reach retailers when and how they want.
November 24, 2022 by Savinay Berry — EVP Product and Engineering, SHIFT Communications
In today's increasingly connected and convenience-obsessed world, customers expect to reach retailers when and how they prefer to. Whether it be via Facebook Messenger, in-app messaging, text or a video call, instant engagement is no longer just a nice perk to offer customers, it's expected — and mutually advantageous. Unfortunately, too many brands still fail to deliver that personalized communications experience, which ultimately translates to lost sales opportunities and a negative impact on brand perception and customer loyalty.
The reciprocal benefits of conversational commerce
Conversational commerce can be defined as engaging with customers wherever they prefer at a given moment and at whatever time suits them best. There are various terms for conversational commerce, including conversational e-commerce, conversational marketing and conversational shopping, but all of these are synonymous. However they're referred to, these channels are lucrative — Think With Google found 60% of shoppers favor brands that offer convenient communications features such as one-on-one virtual chat.
Mobile communications, a more prominent deployment of conversational commerce, sees success because it allows customers to combine their favorite parts of in-store and online retail, and provides an engaging, on-demand shopping experience. For example, customers can speak with a store associate, switch to video chat to view options and inventory if needed, and complete a purchase from wherever they might be at any moment in time. When shoppers feel an emotional connection with a brand as a result of personalized omnichannel communication, many will spend twice as much with those brands.
At this point, brands that still aren't incorporating conversational commerce channels into their communications strategies are probably starting to see the writing on the wall. Without a conversational commerce strategy, these brands are rendered less accessible, less convenient and customers may even view them as less trustworthy. When brands fail to provide a way to engage with potential and returning customers, they're impacting the future security of their business.
What brands can do to build emotional connections with customers
Convenience is now considered the norm, so brands should begin with deploying micro sites and messaging capabilities that establish the foundation of solid customer communications. This allows brands to fully personalize the shopping experience by identifying customer needs in real-time and opening the lines of communication to facilitate the purchase intent to sales conversion.
For example, a food and beverage brand can boost sales by offering self-service ordering via apps customers are already using, such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Taking it a step further, AI chatbots can give a repeat customer a warm welcome back by offering an "order my usual" option. By meeting folks where they are, versus asking them to download and learn to navigate a new app, brands can reach thousands, or even millions, of new customers spanning all levels of tech savviness.
Another poignant utilization for conversational commerce is helping social impact organizations spread urgent awareness with ease. These organizations, whether they operate for profit or not, often don't have the extra money to spend on various expensive communications platforms or the staff to manage them. By deploying conversational commerce channels, social impact organizations can unify all communications into one inbox and deliver pertinent information and updates instantly via tools like Facebook Messenger. Additionally, by incorporating more sophisticated conversational commerce features like natural language processing, social impact leaders can ensure all communications between volunteers and those that need them the most are conveyed quickly and accurately.
Conversational commerce channels are inherently effective because they enable brands to connect with customers on an emotional level in a way that virtually replicates the kind of personal attention and care you might receive at a family-run corner shop. Staff get to know customers on an individual level and can provide the kind of specialized top-tier service shoppers have come to expect from the brands they trust. On the flip side, brands that opt not to offer these solutions are essentially guiding customers and their wallets into the pockets of competitors.
About Savinay Berry
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