Trends within customer service sometimes come and go, but one aspect that seems to satisfy consumers significantly is personalized elements during their shopping experiences. This factor has become more prevalent in recent years, as businesses have been able to gather and store information related to shoppers' preferences, needs and other pertinent details. For this reason, consumers have come to expect personalized service.

Internet Retailer reports that according to research from the e-tailing group, 44 percent of internet shoppers stated they prefer when brands offer personalized product recommendations based on past purchases. In addition, 41 percent said they would be more likely to purchase from a retailer that provides suggestions and personalized elements. However, this trend doesn't pertain only to ecommerce, but should be incorporated into store operations as well.

While data about shoppers can be gathered easily from online purchases, merchants can also collect information about in-store patrons. Fast Casual writes that transactions provide businesses with a variety of details about customers, and retailers can take that time to get other details from consumers, such as birthdate, preferred items and other factors. This data can then be used to create more personalized experiences for shoppers next time they come into storefronts. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013 at 10:03 am .