Whilst ‘pivot’, ‘transition’ and ‘new norm’ top the charts for most overused (and mildly irritating) words of 2020; no one can deny that businesses have been hit with a hammer blow by Covid-19.
It’s happened. Life has changed. Once a formerly relaxing saunter to meets friends, shop and grab lunch; the decision is now plagued by masks, restrictions and concern.
Shoppers crave the old ways (in terms of relaxation, spend and free movement) but demand the new. They seek a clear demonstration that you empathise and understand their needs. They want safety, a relaxed experience, sustainability and smart technology to support the cultural shift and their enjoyment.
One thing is for sure: 2020 has taught us we need to be ready; we need to listen and we need the agility to give consumers precisely what they want and need if we plan to stick around.
The monumental rise in eCommerce has left e-tailers happy. But local neighbourhoods have spoken. Friendly, convenient, safe shopping experiences are sought. The entrepreneur leader – empathic to consumer desires – has a significant opportunity to give consumers exactly what they want.
No one wishes to remain glued to their sofa forever. Pure play eCommerce takes the lions share but it will never replace the human element of shopping, socialising and experience. Demand, travel restrictions, localised lockdowns and uncertainty will all push towards the next phase in retail – a high street rejuvenation for those who can unify consumer desires, safety, smart tech and the process improvements fit for the future.
Welcome to unified commerce.
Unified commerce doesn’t rely on eCommerce, tech, or bricks and mortar. It deftly combines them all. It offers the best of digital and physical assets to proactively engage with your customer in the way that they crave. For example, a customer should be able to begin shopping with you on their tablet at home, select the sale items they love from your APP on the train and then pick up exactly where they left off on arrival at your store. The assistant knows what they are looking for and makes recommendations to this effect. Cue happy customer. Frustration is banished, their customer journey is successful and they are far less likely to seek a competitor as you have interpreted and delivered at every step. Understand your customer. Build the bond. Make the sale. Digital in-store innovation can also deliver the much-needed convenience and safety aspects of the shopping experience – making it easier and safer to buy.
It’s immersive, well managed and specifically relevant for each and every customer. From your stores to social, all channels are connected, everything is purposeful, measured and effective. Oh, and sales tend to go up. A lot.
Is this where we baffle you with buzzwords and ask you to hand over fistfuls of cash? No.
Call us crazy, but excessive expenditure and soulless spreadsheets are not our thing. We value digital transformation that yields the agility to weather trends and change (even global pandemics). We look at your entire business. How do you work? What works well? What doesn’t? Where is the waste? How can we deliver your vision?
A DFD digital transformation is underpinned by agile methodology and swiftly releases value quickly and incrementally. We aren’t watching the clock. We aren’t talking a good game. We are watching results. We are creating processes that work. Resources are applied only where you need them when you need them. Our engagement is productivity-driven and we have witnessed exceptional results for the big brands we have transformed.
Missguided, River Island, Arcadia all entrust Digital Fabrique Development to get the job done and implement the correct digital action. Action that yields a sustainable, strong, profitable business of the future – whatever the ‘new norm’ looks like.
For a successful digital transformation without the hefty price tag, why not give us a shout?