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Connecting with remote customers in retail

connectingwith remote customers in retail From March 2020 until June 2021, shops have struggled to keep their doors open to the public. Some outlets focused all their efforts into their online e-commerce to maintain sales. However, customers lacked the in-store sales rep expertise when shopping online. They risked having unanswered questions that an online chatbot hadn’t been programmed to answer. With trained sales experts wanting to work, Currys PC World adapted to mirror how corporate companies were dealing with the pandemic and launched ShopLive. This new service allowed customers to video chat with technical experts that were in-store. The experience enabled remote customers to browse and ask questions, see products and receive demos all from the comfort of their home. Over 1,000,000 people1 used this service and video called tech experts for their advice. The service offered an alternative to both traditional online and in-store shopping and remained even postpandemic when shops re-opened.

Alongside sales staff using headsets and UC cameras to remotely sell to customers, there has been an increase in stores utilising this technology to live stream shopping experiences. These livestreams could be an after-hours event, like Walmart’s “Holiday Shop-Along Spectacular” which not only received seven times more views than expected and a 25% uplift in TikTok followers, but it also drove sales with viewers live purchasing products they saw at the event2 . UC&C technology is preferred for these events, as the cameras and microphones are typically smaller and discreet. They also have useful built-in features like tracking that follows the live stream host or sales rep around the store. It is no surprise that UC&C technology is being adopted into this vertical, after millions of employees from corporate, education and healthcare have already experienced the benefit.

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