Internet shopping has become hugely popular and most retailers are attempting to incorporate modern technology into their commercial property based operations in a bid to blur the boundaries between retailing and e-tailing. As well as attracting a younger crowd of shoppers to the high street, this has the advantage of streamlining customer service and making purchasing processes easier for consumers and staff alike.
Yet in a new survey released this week, it was found that retailers in the West End of London are failing to keep up to speed when it comes to installing modern technologies of this sort. According to Omnico, only 14 per cent of shops on Oxford Street and Regent Street have made a free Wi-Fi service available to customers, while an even smaller 8 per cent have begun to use tablet computers as a way of providing in-store assistance.
Even more surprisingly, technologies and options which have been largely embraced by nationwide retailers have failed to infiltrate the West End. Less than 3 per cent of retailers have so far chosen to install mobile points of sale or self-service checkouts, while the hugely popular click and collect option has been adopted by only 44 per cent of retailers on the two leading shopping streets.
Chief technology officer at Omnico, Steve Thomas, believes retailers are missing out on a valuable opportunity to increase custom by lagging behind other retail areas within London.
He says; “We’re a little surprised that technologies that improve customer service aren’t particularly prevalent in a prime shopping area of the West End.
“Even the most popular technology – click and collect – which provides high street retailers with a simple way of joining together their online presence with the store is used in less than half of retailers.”
Also revealed in a separate Omnico study was the fact that consumers are more likely to react in a positive manner and make purchases if the store they choose to frequent adapts to new technology. 44 per cent of consumers polled claimed that they would be more likely to give custom to a retailer which chose to incorporate new technology as a means of improving customer service – a figure which rose to 63 per cent when the answers of the key 16-24 age group market were isolated.
Mr Thomas continued; “Areas such as click and collect are just the beginning – savvy retailers have a ‘single view of the customer’ and are able to ensure that marketing campaigns are highly targeted and the experience in store is seamless with their app or e-commerce offering.”
Do you tend to gravitate towards stores which display an efficient modern technology initiative geared towards customer service, or do you prefer a more traditional style of retailing?
