Retail Week Indicator reviewed the top UK retailers’ logistics and customer service capabilities. Discover the top trends and best performing retailers.
Top 10 retailers for logistics and customer services
Position | Retailer | Logistics and customer services score |
---|---|---|
1 | Amazon | 86.9 |
2 | Asos | 83.7 |
3 | Ocado | 81.8 |
4 | Sainsbury’s | 76.7 |
5 | JD Sports | 70.9 |
6 | Wickes | 70.6 |
7 | Matchesfashion.com | 70.6 |
8 | New Look | 70.0 |
9 | Argos | 67.4 |
10 | H&M | 67.1 |
All scoring runs from 0 to 100, with 100 being the maximum score.
The digitisation of customer services
Over the past year, retailers have invested in improving customer service with a big focus on ‘digitising’ the experience. These initiatives can both differentiate the shopping experience and create efficiencies for the business.
Indicator has found that there has been a significant investment in self-service initiatives this year, which minimises the workload, and possibly reduces headcount, of the customer service team.
One of the most common customer queries is finding out where online orders are. The results of Indicator show parcel tracking is now a hygiene factor with 90% of retailers offering the function.
Live chat has been a big area of investment this year and 14 retailers have added the functionality to their desktop, with 55% of retailers monitored now offering this option, and eight have added this to their mobile website.
The use of algorithm-powered chatbots is also becoming more prevalent in the industry, as consumers increasingly expect retailers to be ’always on’ and respond to queries and complaints 24 hours a day.
Marks & Spencer, Asos, Ted Baker and Shop Direct are among the retailers that have launched chatbots, which are being used for multiple functions from customer service to fashion inspiration and even selling.
The Very Group, formerly known as Shop Direct, has an in-app chatbot Very Assistant that uses IBM Watson’s AI technology and gives customers quick answers to their customer service questions in a WhatsApp-style chat.
The chatbot uses natural language processing, allowing customers to ask questions in their own words, rather than a multi-choice selection.
Online self-service options such as Very Assistant helped Shop Direct to reduce customer calls to its contact centres by 30%.
Digital technology specialist Juniper Research says retailers using chatbots can realise annual savings of $439m (£358m) globally by 2023, up from $7m (£5.5m) this year.