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6 Dec 2023

Bristol and Cirencester-based bespoke fine jewellery retailer Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery, a member of the National Association of Jewellers, has received one of its most unusual commissions...

6 Dec 2023

Reynolds’ Butchers in Parbold, near Wigan, have set up a scheme called Mary’s Mince to help people living in the village.

5 Dec 2023

Research commissioned by American Express Shop Small reveals the top 10 high streets for independent shops in the UK, shining a light on the nation’s small businesses that play...

5 Dec 2023

A new campaign is calling on police & crime commissioners to tackle crime on a local level, as theft against convenience retailers reaches record highs.

4 Dec 2023

Recent data from VistaPrint, reported by London Loves Business, has revealed that 70% of London small businesses generate up to a substantial 86% of their annual revenue...

23 Nov 2023

Retail sector leaders have expressed a range of concerns, from taxation to business rates, following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement this week.

22 Nov 2023

Six independent bookshops from around the UK have been named as the winners of the inaugural Booker Prize Indie Bookshop Spotlight, a competition in which independent bookshops and booksellers...

21 Nov 2023

The National Federation of Subpostmasters has received a response from new Conservative party chairman Richard Holden MP regarding the petition to keep DVLA services in post offices.
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21 Nov 2023

The British Business Bank has launched a new guide aimed at smaller businesses to help them understand how different financial products can support them at all stages of their development.

21 Nov 2023

Independent retailers across the UK are set to defy the Black Friday sales frenzy for the third year running, according to a survey conducted by Bira, the British Independent Retailers...

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Customer experience placed at the height of importance by brands post-lockdown

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

escalatorsThere is no question that the lockdown will change the way that consumers shop in the long-term. Research suggests that customers now place a higher value on customer service than they did before COVID-19, but that they still may feel uncomfortable physically visiting many shops for a long-time as of yet.

While we have seen a great shift towards online shopping over the last few months, it is now time to start really encouraging customers to walk through our high-street doors once again.

According to Retail Times, the extent of the restrictions surrounding COVID-19 mean that it is not just front-line retail workers that need to focus on the customer experience. Businesses across all sectors are being forced to look for new ways to engage and support their clients and customers in the absence of normal activity.

This new emphasis placed on customer service means that brands will need to adapt accordingly. As experts at the KPMG Nunwood Excellence Centre put it: "We are entering an ‘integrity economy', one where the ethics of an organisation are as important as its products and services." 

KPMG's international think tank undertook research to identify the top 50 brands that are currently bossing customer experience since the COVID-19 lockdown. 23 of the top 50 brands in its Customer Experience Excellence ranking for 2020 are retailers.

TV shopping channel QVC led the way, finishing second in the ranking behind internet bank First Direct, which retained their top spot from 2018.

John Lewis & Partners rose up the list to fourth, one place ahead of Lush, while Lakeland and Marks & Spencer also made the top 10.

The KPMG Nunwood Excellence Centre suggests there are now six key pillars to driving the customer experience: integrity; resolution and innovation; expectations; time and effort; personalisation; and empathy. The Centre goes on to define each pillar and provide 'Golden Rules' that any business aiming for outstanding customer relationships must go by.

This new post-lockdown era will mean many businesses having to rethink their business models and adapt to shoppers current wants and needs. Read more about the KPMG's six key pillars and how you can learn from 2020's top Customer Experience brands to recover from a pandemic and come back stronger than ever.

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