These Technology Companies Are Making Retailers’ Lives Easier

Technology has become an essential component of successful retail strategies. Customer relationship management for footwear retailers has particularly benefited from the influx of software platforms designed to capture and analyze consumer preferences, behavior and feedback.

But decoding what these tech companies offer retailers can be a confusing process. There are hundreds of providers to choose from, each with a unique set of capabilities and services. From empowering sales associates with customer data to providing end-to-end solutions, these companies are each assisting retailers in maximizing their retail strategies.

Making Technology Accessible

“Kibo makes it easy for nontechnical users to excel at their jobs by providing interfaces and tools designed for business users, but built with an API-first architecture that does not limit development potential,” said Ram Venkataraman, chief technology officer at Kibo. “This approach makes Kibo solutions accessible across teams while also providing low total cost of ownership.”

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“We use customer information, transaction history and key statistics to provide associates with smart tasks, so they know who to reach out to and when,” said Oscar Sachs, CEO at Salesfloor. “Each associate then has their own personalized storefront and can connect
with customers via email, texting, live chat and social media integrations like FB Messenger and Weibo.”

Store Associate using mobile platform to service customer in-store
With mobile technology, a sales associate can accompany the customer throughout the shopper journey, from looking at products to mobile check-out.
CREDIT: Courtesy of Tulip

Connecting With the Customer

“Tulip helps retailers invest in their best asset against e-commerce pure plays: the store associate,” said Deborah Surrette, chief revenue officer at Tulip. “We enable associates to capture information about their customers’ habits, personalize their service and then continue the conversation beyond the four walls of the retailer through personal SMS messages on new products the customer may like.”

“Most retail technologies are built with a single purpose in mind, creating a siloed approach that wreaks havoc on a brand’s bottom line and the customer experience,” said Stephan Schambach, founder and CEO at NewStore. “NewStore connects the services that have traditionally been sold as point solutions, such as endless aisle and clienteling.”

“At Aptos’ core, we have always been focused on helping our retail clients to engage customers differently,” said Noel Goggin, CEO and culture leader at Aptos. “Aptos technology helps to cultivate long-term relationships with shoppers; manage transactions and orders in stores, online and in all other selling channels; and manage and analyze data to improve business performance.”

The One-Stop Shop

“Modern consumers expect seamless, personalized and immediate experiences,” said Stephen Fioretti, VP of product management, Oracle CX Sales and Service. “Oracle’s platform enables businesses to meet these expectations through a higher level of customer insight, thanks to advanced capabilities like artificial intelligence, chatbots and ‘internet of things.’”

Smiley terminal is one method of tracking customer satisfaction during the product journey.
Tracking customer feedback is less complicated thanks to new technology available.
CREDIT: Happy Or Not

“Manhattan Active Omni brings together order management, point of sale, store inventory and fulfillment into a single cloud-native application,” said Nicole O’Rourke, SVP and chief marketing officer at Manhattan Associates. “This solution shatters the boundaries between channels by making functionality available to any team member, in any location, at any time.”

“For retailers to compete effectively and win the hearts, minds and wallets of modern consumers, they need a single view of customers across commerce, marketing and customer service,” said Rob Garf, VP of strategy and insights for retail and consumer goods at Salesforce. “Leveraging a 360-degree view of individual shoppers, Salesforce enables retailers to create a unified customer journey that bridges gaps between digital and physical touch points.”

Consolidating Data Into a Single Tool

“Our platform includes the most comprehensive identity solution of any customer data platform,” said Omer Artun, founder and CEO of AgilOne. “By resolving customer data into one cleansed, stitched data set, marketers have an accurate list for all marketing and engagement. Identity resolution is a mandatory first step for understanding and communicating with customers.”

“PredictSpring has built an in-store digital platform that pairs the clienteling that Nordstrom is so well-known for with the frictionless checkout and mobile POS offered by the Apple Store, all in a single store app,” said Nitin Mangtani, founder and CEO at PredictSpring. “Brands and retailers that will stand out in 2019 are the ones that build flagship mobile experiences in-store and online.”

Want more?

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