The great opportunity of video consulting
Omnichannel retail marketing offers excellent opportunities to boost customer satisfaction and increase customer loyalty in the long term. Omnichannel retail marketing aims to intelligently integrate all of a brand’s online and offline marketing channels. This holistic approach is the only way for companies to obtain a uniform view of their end customers. And they in turn experience a consistent brand experience on all channels. Thanks to clever omnichannel retail marketing, customers experience a veritable game of ping-pong between offline and online advice. She is entitled to all conceivable consulting options – from a personal exchange in the store to a video consultation from home. Video consulting is an innovative and very promising approach in omnichannel retail marketing. In the following article, we describe why it can be an important piece of the puzzle for many retailers in their own marketing mix and why it is becoming increasingly important.
Video is becoming increasingly important in marketing
Video has become an integral part of omnichannel retail marketing. Moving images are not only playing an increasingly important role in campaigns. No, many leading retailers are increasingly using the video channel to provide advice. Video consulting is therefore definitely one of the omnichannel retail trends in 2023.
Video consulting is becoming increasingly important today because it is important to be able to reach your customers wherever they are. As the smartphone is omnipresent, it is also the perfect tool for live online advice. Top omnichannel retailers already rely on personal live video advice. These include the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group and the fitness bike manufacturer Peloton. Products that require explanation in particular can be marketed even better with individual video advice than with product videos, FAQs or testimonials alone. In the video consultation, the individual questions and requirements of customers can be addressed. If customers can express their concerns and feel reassured that this (often high-priced) product meets their requirements, they are much more likely to buy it.
Today, people expect service and advice on all channels. It is no longer enough just to provide them with information. If you want to be successful in omnichannel retail marketing, you have to offer a similar range online as offline.
In a video consultation, potential buyers receive a service comparable to that in the store without having to leave their sofa at home. This is efficient, convenient, time-saving and environmentally friendly.
The fact is that video consulting is more than just a “coronavirus replacement solution” that replaces personal contact. Skillfully implemented, it is an important piece of the puzzle for your own retail marketing.
Individual customer approach as the key to success
Nowadays, customers can store around the clock and expect to receive advice at any time. However, the days of mass appeal and “one fits all” are over. Today, people want to be looked after individually. This includes being able to specify the time slot for the desired delivery, having the choice between postal delivery and self-collection in the store or being able to pick up the product via Click & Collect in a stationary retail store. Nowadays, your customers need to be as comfortable and pleasant as possible at all touchpoints. An excellent customer experience is the be-all and end-all. This also includes being able to access all important information from the living room. An omnichannel retail app from which a video consultation can be accessed is an important component for every top omnichannel retailer today.
The advantages of video consulting for omnichannel retail marketing
If omnichannel retailers use the possibilities of online video consulting in addition to the existing offers, they benefit from numerous advantages.
Increased customer satisfaction
People who feel that they are taken seriously and understood are happy to buy. People who know that their needs and wishes are taken seriously are happy to help themselves. This is especially true for expensive products that require explanation. Anyone who is given “quality time” by trained staff in a 1:1 discussion will, in the best case, feel encouraged in their decision. With a video consultation, companies have the opportunity to dispel doubts and reinforce the customer’s decision.
Studies from the financial sector show that only a few customers have taken advantage of video advice so far. However, those who have used it are very satisfied. With a 79% share of satisfied customers, video advice even beats face-to-face advice on site (61% satisfaction). Customer satisfaction with our in-house video consulting service PoSLive was measured at +90% on average. This value has been in place since mid-2020 and is now being used by leading manufacturers via the Media Markt and Saturn online stores.
Improved customer loyalty
Satisfied customers who have had a good shopping experience are happy to make a second purchase. Video consulting is therefore an investment in the future. It is also well known that it is cheaper to invest in existing customers than to keep trying to acquire new ones. Anyone who feels they are in good hands with a brand and is convinced by the product after a thorough consultation is happy to buy a second time. This makes video consulting in omnichannel retail marketing an important pillar for a sustainable and healthy customer relationship. It is also very likely that a satisfied customer will rave about the video consultation and thus refer other customers to the company.
Privacy is preserved
Even though video chats have increased significantly in recent years due to the pandemic, many people still find it difficult to switch on their own camera on their laptop or smartphone. This is especially true when you come into contact with a stranger. But that doesn’t have to be the case with video consultation. Customers can remain “invisible” during the consultation, do not have to switch on their camera and only see the consultant.
Online advice protects the environment
Whereas in the past you had to make several trips to the store to get the information and advice you wanted, today all you need to do is contact an advisor from your living room and ask all your questions. This type of consultation is much more environmentally friendly and prevents multiple – sometimes unnecessary – trips by car.
Delivery options improve the customer experience
Top retailers that operate both offline and online at the same time offer their customers the choice of how they want to receive their product in addition to a wide range of consulting options. You can buy it on site and take it with you, order it online via Click&Collect and pick it up at the desired location or have it delivered to your front door. The combination of different consulting and delivery options offers the customer an optimal shopping experience and gives every visitor the chance to take the route that is most convenient for them.
Intelligent management via omnichannel retail management software
If you want to use video consulting in omnichannel retail marketing today, you can do so with the help of omnichannel retail management software. Such software manages the product range and your campaigns across all channels – online as well as at the point of sale (POS) in the brick-and-mortar store. This means that all sales channels interlock seamlessly and ensure maximum profitability. Video consulting is certainly not only one of the hottest omnichannel retail trends, it’s here to stay. It is the skillful interlocking of the analog and digital worlds in retail marketing.
Management Summary: Why retailers should rely on video consulting as part of their omnichannel retail marketing strategy
The PRofiFLITZER PoSLive platform makes it easy to install a video consultation. The technological infrastructure and human resources are ready and waiting to be deployed.
The use of personal video consulting in marketing has numerous other advantages for retailers:
– Your customers feel that they are taken seriously and respected.
– Customer satisfaction increases.
– The conversion rate on the website is significantly higher.
– More cross-sales are achieved.
– The average basket value is increased.
– Video advice is contactless, but personal.
– Video consultation is environmentally friendly as unnecessary journeys are avoided.
– The recommendation rate among customers is increasing.
– Customer loyalty is strengthened.
– The probability of a second purchase increases.