Building strong relationships with customers has always been critical to the success of any size business. It is also challenging to achieve this goal. However, by using technology to strengthen these relationships, businesses are able to simplify the process.

Today's customers are more interested in technology than they were in the past. With this increased interest, businesses have been able to add unique tools to their strategy for building customer relationships. Consider the following to improve your customer relationship building strategy.

Personalize Experiences

Many customers learn best through hands-on personalized experiences such as product demos, especially when it comes to technology. Making sure this capability is available for your sales staff to use will create a more engaging and interactive experience with customers.

Using virtual reality devices, such as Oculus Rift, allows customers a first-hand experience right in your store. These devices allow sales reps to demonstrate the amazing experiences customers can expect. 

The Intel® Retail Experience Tool, RXT, is another great way to personalize the shopping experience. This is an interactive sales tool reps use on the sales floor with customers to guide them to the best device for their needs.

Using such devices helps reps build a relationship with customers and creates more meaningful and memorable shopping experiences. 

Streamline the Process

Incorporating available modern technology to streamline the process of shopping is now what customers expect when they visit retail stores. They want to get from point A to point B as easily as possible and usually within a certain timeframe. 

Stores can meet these types of expectations by using technologies such as digital signage, kiosks, smart vending machines, and self-checkouts. Adding user-created content stations near particular items is also a great way to give customers more information about the products.

When customers can’t find the information they need or if the purchasing process is lengthy, they will simply leave the store. 

Provide Better Customer Service

Offering free Wi-Fi or mobile POS systems are two popular customer service solutions. Retailers use technology such as Bluetooth beacons to gather data about shoppers to better understand what they want and when they want it. Some then use mobile apps to deliver the right information at the right time. 

Research conducted by Forrester* found that 84 percent of consumers access the Internet on their smartphones while in stores. Some of the activities they performed included:

• Comparing prices with other stores
• Checking product availability
• Learning about in-store promotions
• Redeeming coupons or coupon codes
• Reading product reviews

Many retailers have mobile apps capable of delivering this type of information. Some even incorporate a way for customers to contact sales reps while they are shopping in the store. This allows them to focus on the shopping experience instead of searching for someone to help them. 

The idea is to make the shopping experience as easy as possible and provide your customers with the information they need when they need it the most.

Be Competitive

Consumers look for personalized, customized, stress-free shopping experiences. Implementing available technology that addresses these areas can help your store become more competitive. 

However, it’s important to remember that no piece of technology can replace the effectiveness of knowledgeable sales reps who strive to create the best customer experiences possible. The opportunity to interact with a sales person and physically touch products continues to keep retail brick-and-mortar store purchases ahead of those made online. 

Incorporating available technology solutions that provide the retailer and the customer with the right information and services is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge. Equally important is ensuring that all staff members are educated and well-versed on the products being sold and that customers are being served effectively. 

The Intel® Retail Edge Program supports your training efforts to provide your sales team with educational, fun, and rewarding Learning activities to improve their knowledge about Intel technologies and the products that incorporate them. Participating reps also have access to sales tips and tools.  

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*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

© 2016, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Retail Experience Tool, RXT, and the Intel Retail Edge Program are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.