The top 10 brands for customer experience

Appealing mobile websites, flexible order processing and a wide range of channels for researching and purchasing products - customer expectations are high. To remain competitive in today's retail environment, brands need to make excellent impressions at the point of purchase and after sale, and a study by Astound Commerce, the world's largest privately owned digital commerce agency, shows which brands offer their customers the best shopping experiences. Of the 50 brands tested, these are the top 10 for "Customer Experience" (in alphabetical order):In stationary retail:● Apple● Nike● The North Face● Steve Madden● Toms● Tory Burch● Under ArmourOn the Internet:● Bobbi Brown● Lancome● SamsungAstound Commerce examined 50 global brands with regard to the shopping experience on the Internet, on mobile devices and in stationary retail as part of the "2017 Global Mystery Shopping Study". The brand image, customer experience and service were measured using 206 categories in eight typical shopping scenarios. These include browsing websites, searching for specific products, accessibility of customer service, contact options and - if available - visiting brick-and-mortar stores. "The top brands are characterized by their digital capabilities - both online and in-store. They almost always lead with the brand, use strategic merchandising and offer their customers convenience at every touchpoint in an uncomplicated way," explains Sebastian Klare, VP Global Marketing at Astound Commerce. "Brands are responding to high customer expectations and the advanced offerings of their retail partners and competitors by investing in sophisticated functionalities and platforms. Video formats are particularly popular. Almost half (48%) of the online stores surveyed have corresponding offerings. One in four online stores specifically supports users in their decision-making process with the help of product configuration and interactive tools.Excellent customer service - also desired onlineFor today's brands, comprehensive customer service - including fast response times for inquiries - is a must. For four out of ten online shoppers, professional customer service is decisive for their purchase. However, some brands still have some catching up to do here: Less than a third of the brands surveyed offer searchable FAQs. 40 percent of brands offer a live chat - but on average, participants wait over 9 minutes for an answer.Digitalization and transparency - in stores tooAlmost half of the stores surveyed are equipped with tablets or (touch) screens. Successful brands are not stopping at the digitalization of the warehouse: customers can see online in which store the desired product is available, when it is ready for collection or available for delivery and can then place the order directly. This is not yet the norm. For 17 percent of brands, the customer still has to call the store to check stock levels or place an order. further information on the study is available at the following link: https://astoundcommerce.com/mysteryshopping