Customer Service Processes at the Point of Sale

Organizing customer service processes at the point of sale is essential to ensure a positive experience, optimize visitor flow and maximize sales. There are numerous processes that can be streamlined by using technology solutions to improve and even redefine user experience at the point of sale:

• Queue and appointment management: There are systems that inform customers of the estimated waiting time and optimize customer assignment to checkouts or assistants. Some department stores already give tickets with numbers in certain departments to optimize waiting time. And in the stores of technology giants, an appointment system is used to manage requests for technical assistance.
• Self-service kiosks: These are points where customers can search for products or check prices.
• Staff training: Staff must be trained to deal quickly and effectively with customers, answering questions and handling transactions.
• Layout and signage: It is necessary to design the sales space in an intuitive way and with clear signage so that customers can easily find what they are looking for.
• Offers and promotions: It is advisable to implement systems to communicate exclusive offers or promotions at the point of sale.
• Customer feedback: There are also points of contact or kiosks where customers can leave comments and rate their experience.
• Fast-payment systems: They incorporate contactless, QR or mobile app payment technologies to streamline the payment process. In fact, some stores no longer have traditional checkouts. Instead, any employee can complete a transaction from their mobile device.

These examples show how processes at the point of sale are evolving, as companies must adapt to changing customer expectations and leverage new technologies to deliver a more seamless and pleasant shopping experience.

How to Measure the Efficiency of Changes

Redefining the user experience at the point of sale requires implementing changes. Measuring the efficiency of those changes is crucial to ensure that innovations and adjustments are generating a positive return. To do so, the following steps and metrics should be considered:

• Establish key performance indicators: Before undertaking any change, it is necessary to define which metrics or indicators will be used to evaluate success. These metrics must be aligned with the objectives of the changes proposed. Here are some outstanding examples:
  • Waiting time: how long customers wait before being assisted.
  • Transaction duration: how long it takes to make a sale or provide a service.
  • Customer satisfaction: this information can be obtained through post-purchase surveys or online feedback.
  • Sales per employee: this can help understand staff efficiency.
  • Conversion rate: the proportion of visitors who make a purchase.
  • Average sales per transaction: how much the average customer spends in a single visit.
  • Return on investment: this allows comparing the cost of implementing the changes with the additional benefits generated.
• Collect baseline data: Before implementing the change, it is necessary to collect data that reflects the current performance. This is the only way to have a baseline against which to make later comparisons.
• Make a comparison against industry benchmarks: Although comparisons are odious, there is no choice but to look at industry leaders. What metrics are they using? What are their average numbers or benchmarks? Industry organizations often publish benchmarks or standards that can be extremely useful.
• Continuous evaluation: It is not enough to measure once Regular monitoring milestones must be established to assess how the changes are working overtime and make adjustments as needed.
• Direct feedback: In-person communication is a real privilege. Companies must talk to employees and customers, who often provide valuable qualitative data that is not captured through traditional metrics.
• A/B testing: In these tests, one group of customers experiences the “old state” and another group the “new change“. This provides a clear understanding of the effectiveness of a specific change.

In addition to paying attention to the quantitative and qualitative data mentioned above, it is also worthwhile to take a short- and long-term approach. Some benefits, especially in relation to customer satisfaction, may become more apparent over time.

Trends in Customer Service at the Point of Sale

Although no one has a crystal ball, some trends have gained ground in recent years. Let’s see which ones: Let’s see which ones:

• Contactless technologies: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of contactless solutions. Contactless payments, digital menus available through QR codes and self-service stations are just some of the deployments that have gained popularity.
• Omni-channel integration: Companies want to offer a seamless experience between their physical stores and digital platforms so that their customers, for example, can buy a product online and pick it up in the physical store, or return products purchased online in the physical store.
• Customization: Thanks to data collection and analysis, companies can offer customized experiences in real time. This can be reflected in exclusive offers based on past purchases or recommendations at digital kiosks.
• Augmented reality: These applications are making their way into the shopping experience and allow customers, for example, to “try on” products virtually before buying them.
• Sustainability: Growing awareness of environmental issues is leading more companies to implement sustainable practices at their points of sale, either through eco-friendly packaging or by promoting recycling programs.
• Automation and robotics: In some stores, especially in Asia, robots are being introduced to guide customers, replenish shelves, or even make deliveries.
• Artificial intelligence-assisted sales: AI solutions can help salespeople make recommendations based on real-time data analysis or purchase histories.
• Autonomous payment: There are already many stores where customers can pick up products and pay without going through the traditional payment process, as sensors and artificial intelligence detect what they have bought and charge them automatically.
• Experiential spaces: These are much more than just points of sale. Some stores are becoming experiential destinations that include lounge areas, live demonstrations, and workshops.
• Flexibility to pay: Financing options are already offered at the point of sale, such as “buy now, pay later”, allowing customers to conveniently split their payments.

These trends portend an increasingly customized, technologically advanced, and customer-centric shopping experience. However, companies must evaluate which of these trends make sense for their business model and customer base before implementing major changes that will require significant investment and resources.

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Tags: customer, processes, sales