Omni-Channel Customer Engagement Article

A 2014 study conducted by Google (News - Alert), Ipsos MediaCT and Sterling Brands revealed 87 percent of shoppers looked for information before visiting the store on their smart phones, 79 percent did so while they were in the store. And if that was not enough, over one third, or 35 percent, used their device after visiting the store, which clearly highlights how important it is to make the customer experience continuous and universal.

The omni-channel experience is not a fad term used by marketers, it is very real, and companies that don’t implement this approach to address their customers will not be around for long in today’s environment. The move by Batteries Plus Bulbs to improve its online presence with a revamped website has been designed to fully complement its more than 650 stores nationwide.

Batteries Plus Bulbs was an automotive-oriented business when it was established in 1988. Experiencing little to no growth in that segment, the company moved its focus to technology and mobility by starting to provide replacement batteries. It now has an inventory of over 50,000 battery and lighting solutions and related accessories.

According to the company, the new website has been designed with enhanced search functionality, simplified navigation, geolocation technology and multiple purchasing options.

The new features of its website include:

• Mobile Responsive – The website’s mobile optimization includes seamless navigation across smartphones, tablets and desktop computers so the customer can easily place orders anytime and anywhere.
• New Search Functionality – Find the right solution at the best price with a new search functionality powered by Google. Customers can also view the most popular purchased products or gauge multi-unit pricing to narrow down their purchasing decisions.
• Streamlined Checkout – Customers will be able to check store availability for inventory and select from multiple buying options: buy online, pick up in store or select from various shipping options.
• Geolocation Services – The store locator enables customers to see all locations within a 50 mile radius no matter where they are across the country.
• Business Account Features – Business Account customers can tag (News - Alert) their frequently ordered items as “Favorites” and create custom descriptions based on how they use the items (e.g. conference room light LED bulb). Items are put into a quick order pad, allowing business customers go back to the site to reference past orders and to easily reorder products again.

“Our ecommerce platform is simple in design, very store-centric and product agnostic so that people understand who we are, the types of products we offer and why we are different from other retailers. We expect these improved omni-channel efforts to have a significant impact on our business and to create a “stickiness” among those customers who order from us online,” said Jayson Serrault, Vice President of Omni-channel Marketing and Analytics.

The purchasing behavior of consumers has changed forever. If the product or service is not available across all channels, it is less likely shoppers will look for that brand online or when they go to a brick and mortar store. Without a comprehensive omni-channel deployment this will not be possible, and the move by Batteries Plus Bulbs to do so just shows retailers in every segment are not leaving nothing to chance.