With the spread of digitisation in about every aspect of modern life no one can deny the store models considerable changes during the last few years. EKN research shows that by the year 2020 many retail stores will have very different roles than the traditional model that exists today. The traditional store model refers to the customer experience in which a customer looks over the options offered at a store, chooses product(s) they’re interested in then checks it out. There is usually very little engagement between the customer and the vendor unless the customer is looking for more specific information. In the future, stores will serve more as online fulfilment center’s rather than as a means for point of sale. Theme stores, showrooms and pop-up concepts will be the new role of physical stores. This shift will require the workforce to change its strategy to adapt to what lies ahead.
In the past customers would rely directly on salespeople to learn about the products
offered at a store. Today’s customers usually have very deep knowledge of products whether from online research or reviews, information salespeople do not normally possess on each specific product. The customer journey becomes more complex because of this digitisation; customers today will more likely research a product online first, examine it physically at the store then go ahead and purchase it online. As stores evolve, there’s a greater need to understand the customer journey better which is why many companies are now starting to employ artificial intelligence and chat-bots into their systems. Most companies are using AI today to provide customers with personalised recommendations or a customised shopping experience. However, these solutions concentrate on improving client experience and not on heightening the connection between consumers and brands through their salesforce.
E-Dzo is a powerful AI tool that allows retailers to recognise limitations that exist today
between their customers and vendors and adaptively teach the company’s salesforce how to increase their knowledge of their products and improve their engagement skills by using a Virtual Coach. This way companies can succeed with the foreseeable store concepts and changing talent pool while guarding their expertise in a memory holder. Essentially, E-Dzo will help employees master the costumer journey by understanding the client’s way of thinking to enhance customer experience and ultimately increase revenues and decrease training costs.