Finding in-store help can be a frustrating experience for customers. Whether it’s locating an associate, searching for an item, or needing assistance with a locked product, these challenges are common across retail.
Retailers have long been searching for a one-size-fits-all solution to address customer needs, but the truth is, no such solution exists. Instead, retailers need a comprehensive approach that integrates seamlessly with their existing workforce management system, providing a single interface for associates to efficiently handle customer requests.
At SYNQ, our comprehensive approach spans from simple texting to SKU-level ordering in store, and everything in between. Let’s dive into the four in-store help options that address these challenges and improve the customer experience: Text for Help, Call for Help, Order Up (SKU-level shopping), and Call Buttons.
Text for Help
One of the simplest and most effective tools for in-store assistance is Text for Help. It’s easy to deploy, requires minimal infrastructure, and offers broad accessibility. Why is this so effective? Approximately 98% of people send a text message every day, making it one of the most widely used communication methods.
Texting also boasts the highest open rate among communication platforms. In fact, there are transactions where text messages are the only form of interaction needed—proving its reliability in facilitating customer service.
For retailers, implementing Text for Help is as straightforward as placing signage throughout the store with simple keywords specific to the location, such as "RECIEPT", "FUEL", "RESTROOM", or any keyword that matches where the customer is or what they need help with.
These text requests are all routed dynamically to the right team, ensuring customers get the help they need the first time.
Call for Help
While Text for Help is a powerful solution, there are times when customers need location-specific assistance. This is where Call for Help steps in. By integrating QR codes tied to planograms (POGs) within store aisles, customers can make requests specific to their exact location and help needs.
Based off location within the store, we can look at what the 3-4 most probable things a customer would need help with are and provide those as options, whether that be assistance with a locking showcase, out of stocks, or questions on price. When a customer scans the QR code and selects the most relevant help option, associates are notified, and the most relevant associate is dispatched.
This location-based assistance not only provides a faster response but also tracks the success and outcome of each interaction, giving retailers valuable insights into service performance.
Order Up
Through millions of customer interactions, one key insight emerged: often, customers don’t require extensive in-person help—just an item unlocked or retrieved for purchase. This led to the development of Order Up, a SKU-level shopping experience that allows customers to request specific items directly.
Instead of waiting for an associate to unlock a case and escort them to the front of the store with their product, customers can scan a QR code in the aisle and specify the SKU and quantity they need and can continue to shop. And with real-time progress updates on their device, customers can simply pick up the item at checkout when it’s ready.
This frictionless experience reduces wait times, enhances convenience, and streamlines operations for retailers. It also transforms a frustrating process (waiting around, being walked up) into a gamified, digital customer experience.
Call Buttons
While our data shows that digital options better serve customers and are where most interactions happen, it’s important to provide people with alternatives. SYNQ Pulse Call Buttons offer a straightforward way for customers to request help when they need it – but there aren’t your traditional call boxes, which are frustrating and inefficient. Most times customers press the button repeatedly, unsure if anyone is coming, and often leave the store without making a purchase. Worse yet, they may buy the product online instead.
SYNQ’s next-generation call button is an IoT device, a significant upgrade from its predecessors. When pressed, it sends a digital notification to the associate’s device, allowing them to manage the request in real time.
Customers are also kept in the loop with light-up stages on the device that indicate the status of their request. Beyond customer assistance, this IoT button can be used for other tasks like managing low shopping baskets or buggy availability in cart corrals, and even sending cleaning requests for restrooms.
Let’s not forget about the data
Traditional processes for helping customers not only fall short in terms of labor allocation and customer experience, but they also generate almost no valuable data. With each of the help options detailed above, we’re generating many powerful data points. On average, we transform one data point into 5-15.
Rather than a single piece of data in the transaction log (tlog), SYNQ’s help solutions provide retailers a detailed understanding of everything goes into helping a customer. We can now understand exactly how much labor it took to fulfill an order from a locked showcase, what the most common challenges customers face are, or which items are most commonly out of stock.
Conclusion
By offering a suite of in-store help options such as sending texts, scanning QR codes for context specific requests, engaging in SKU-level shopping, or simply pressing a call button, retailers empower customers to ask for help in the way that suits them best.
For associates, these request are unified on a single platform, optimizing request management and maximizing the effectiveness of tools like Zebra or Samsung devices. This comprehensive approach not only elevates the customer experience but also streamlines operations, enabling retailers to respond effectively to customer needs and improve overall efficiency.
Check out this video to learn more about SYNQ’s four in-store help options: https://youtu.be/7EMq21vgiE4