Jorge Fernández: “All retailers are focused on Data”
In this new entry in the interview section, we introduce you to Jorge Fernández Calle, Director of Customer Experience & Inbound Marketing at Mayoral. Today we speak with this professional from the retail sector about the complexities and challenges that retail faces, and we focus on how technology and data are being great allies in the development of the sector, as well as the importance of meeting expectations of the customer in terms of the shopping experience.
Stay to enjoy this interesting talk with Jorge Fernández. Onward the interview!
Interview
We begin by assessing the current context of the retail sector. Do you think the traditional/offline store will disappear?
No, it will never go away. There are many consumers who prefer to shop in physical stores and enjoy the in-person shopping experience. It is possible that in the future we will see a decrease in the number of physical stores and a greater integration of online sales and physical store sales, through omnichannel strategies. Businesses can use physical stores as pickup points for online purchases, to offer more personalized shopping experiences, and to promote products in person. Therefore, it is likely that the physical store will continue to be an important part of the retail sector in the future, although its role could change and evolve.
What are its defects and virtues in front of the online store?
Let’s talk about Experience. We are in the customer era where establishing close and lasting relationships with customers is a strategic pillar to achieve trust, loyalty, loyalty, recommendation and long-term profitability, and this is where physical stores become a competitive advantage. With stores, retailers can go where the online channel cannot, such as the possibility of trying the products, the immediacy of the purchase and the personal interaction with the sellers.
A drawback of physical stores?
The investment of time and money in making changes can be high. With the online channel we can pilot actions and verify their effectiveness with little investment, it allows us to iterate and evolve in an agile, fast and efficient way. However, with stores it is the opposite, you have to measure the risks very well, especially when you have a significant capillarity of both national and international stores.
What is the biggest problem or weakness that the traditional store has to face?
We are in a continuous change, and these changes are faster and faster and without warning. From the point of view of Customer Experience, I believe that the main challenge we have with physical stores is no longer anticipating the customer, it is being able to follow in their wake. Being able to adapt stores to the new models that the customer needs in an agile and profitable way.
In the current context, what role does technology play in retail? Highlight a current technology or innovation that you think is setting the trend.
The important thing is to be clear about the end we are looking for, since technology is the means to achieve it. Right now all retailers are focused on Data, whether we are talking about operations and logistics or customer data, and unlike in the online channel, in physical stores it is very complicated. Right now whoever has data has a treasure. Luckily there are more and more tools and models that are beginning to offer quality data to complete the 360 vision of the client.
It is difficult to choose a specific one since practically all the challenges we face involve technology. Right now I would choose the ones that allow us to manage an Omnichannel Experience in real time, which allows us to make quick decisions and measure efficiently.
“Right now, whoever has data has a treasure.” That is why at Flame Analytics we work to offer you the most innovative solutions to obtain accurate and infallible data to make decisions about your strategies.
What does it take for a store to work? Is there a magic recipe?
The million dollar question!
Beyond the product you sell and the location of the stores, which are key variables for success. Remember that approximately 85% of purchases are emotional. For this reason, the third strategic pillar that we must focus on is experience and the Customer journey, and here comes the human factor, as well as technology, processes, etc. It is very important to know and understand the needs, interests and behavior of our client to define the strategy and actions that allow us to add value, personalize and improve the client experience throughout the Customer Journey.
Remember that approximately 85% of purchases are emotional. For this reason, the third strategic pillar that we must focus on is experience and the Customer journey.
How do you achieve customer loyalty?
When we talk about Loyalty, it is not just selling your product or service, we are talking about linking, generating long-term relationships. Reduce moments of pain to a minimum and make the shopping experience memorable.
In other words, it is about making the Customer fall in love… And therein lies the complexity!
And how do we make the customer fall in love?
Well, as in real life, preventing us from staying on just one “date”, and making the client want to repeat and marry us forever…
How do you see the future of retail?
Full of complex challenges that affect all departments: human resources, marketing, customer experience, logistics, ecommerce, stores, etc.
Having common goals and rowing together in the same direction is key to being agile in such a competitive and dynamic environment.
