Page 28 - GS20602
P. 28

ChapterTitleEducation


        Improve your business                                   which of course can be avoided online. Fortunately,

                                                                with the right technology, queues can be reduced if not
        with in-store mobility                                  completely removed from the in-store experience.

                                                                By making use of Click & Collect and Scan&Pay technology,
                                                                retailers can not only provide an instantaneous shopping
                                                                experience, but also bring customers in-store to browse
                                                                further products. Merchants can further enhance the
                                                                shopping experience with the  use of  mobile payment
                                                                devices,  allowing  customers  to  purchase  instantly
                                                                wherever they are in the shop.
                                                                Knowledge is power

                                                                Mobile payment devices aren't just useful for taking
                                                                payments either. With the rise of online shopping has also
                                                                come the rise of knowledge—and the power of reviews.
                                                                With a simple click of a mouse, customers can compare
                                                                and source a range of products online, finding the best
                                                                product and the best price almost instantly.

                                                                However, this research takes time and energy. If a well-
                                                                trained sales associate can provide professional insight,
                                                                the product and the payment all on the spot, that is a
        By Lee Jones                                            winning strategy. In fact, 88 percent of customers surveyed
        Ingenico Enterprise Retail                              reported they are more likely to make a purchase in-store if
                                                                sales associates are knowledgeable, so it's more important
              n recent years payments have gone from zero to    than ever that sales staff have access to the tools that will
              hero on customers' agendas. Whereas once they     increase their insight, expertise and mobility.
              weren't given much thought, many consumers now
        I have a favorite payment method they expect to be      In-store mobility then, at its core, involves providing sales
        provided for a good shopping experience.                associates with smart connected handsets, enabling them
                                                                to better respond to sales queries and take payments
        Shoppers are now so used to the speed and ease that digital   anywhere in the store. This returns the insight advantage
        offers that, if merchants want to compete in-store, they   to sales staff, as well as facilitating instant payments and
        need to replicate this. So, how can retailers use technology   forming a gateway to loyalty programs and their benefits.
        to give customers the best of both worlds? Let's take a look.
                                                                Omnichannel serves all
        Behavior is shifting
                                                                The most important thing for today's consumer is a
        Consumer behavior today is a far cry from the consumer   frictionless experience that suits their needs, so an
        behavior  of  yesterday.  Today,  switching  between  digital   omnichannel system that encompasses every touch point,
        and physical shopping platforms repeatedly throughout   accepts a range of payment methods to suit any preference
        the buying cycle is the norm—from previewing goods      and is compatible on a range of devices is the key.
        and services ahead of a store visit, to real-time product
        comparisons via mobile devices while walking the aisles.  Omnichannel provides an option for all customers—
                                                                with the faster-paced, technologically literate consumers
        According to a recent report by OuterBox (https://bit.  having the option of a quick mobile checkout with a sales
        ly/2zoRqGO), 80 percent of consumers reported using     associate, while others continue to use the traditional
        a mobile phone in-store to check product reviews. This   terminals they're comfortable with.
        shows a significant shift in the power dynamics between
        the consumer and sales associate—whereas once shop      Ingenico has long been a pioneer of in-store mobility solutions. Its forth-
        staff were the only fountains of knowledge, 4G internet   coming generation of devices will enable retailers of all sizes and scale
        has given customers a different insight advantage. Habits   to create a smoother shopping experience for consumers and boost the
        are evolving, and convenience as king. Merchants must   revenue-generating potential of sales associates. With over 20 years'
        act fast to keep up.
                                                                experience and a range of payment system offerings, Ingenico Enterprise
        Digital offers speed, flexibility                       Retail is perfectly placed to answer any questions you may have—retail,
                                                                security, technical or otherwise—and help your merchant base improve
        Why do customers shop online? According to a recent     their in-store mobility with a bespoke payments system. To find out
        Ingenico report (https://bit.ly/2MPHFV9), 78 percent of   more, visit www.ingenico.co.uk/omnichannel.
        customers have abandoned checkouts due to long queues,

        28
   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33