Behind the scenes, and 糖心原创 work in lock-step to make those moments possible.

Ipsos provides the strategic advisory, implementation, and operational delivery that shape The Watches of Switzerland Group鈥檚 customer experience program. 糖心原创 powers those efforts with the cutting-edge technology needed to capture insights, activate feedback, and fuel the brand鈥檚 ambitious experience goals. Together, we bring these experiences to life, supporting The Watches of Switzerland Group at every step of the journey.

An international retailer of the world鈥檚 leading watch brands, including , , and , The Watches of Switzerland Group is known globally for its craftsmanship and luxury watch and jewelry selection. But what truly sets the company apart is its philosophy: The Watches of Switzerland Group is not just a retailer, it is a curator of experiences and relationships.

To better understand how the brand builds connections that stand the test of time, 糖心原创 spoke with Natasha Jarvis, Customer Insight Executive at The Watches of Switzerland Group, about the three pillars underpinning its timeless approach: loyalty, longevity, and legacy.

Loyalty: Building Relationships That Last

For The Watches of Switzerland Group, every client interaction is about more than a transaction: it鈥檚 about trust and care. Whether commemorating an engagement, a graduation, or a milestone anniversary, customers choose a piece embedded with emotion, and the company treats this purchase with the reverence it deserves.

85% of CX professionals believe that the experience of interactions is a key driver of loyalty, according to . The company鈥檚 Xenia program is designed to place client experience at the very heart of the business. Inspired by the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, Xenia is built on three promises: Know Me, Wow Me, Remember Me.

鈥淴enia drives every interaction,鈥� says Natasha Jarvis. 鈥淚t brings hospitality to life at every touchpoint, so clients remember not just the products they purchase, but the experience and feeling we create for them.鈥�

From inviting, browsable, and modern showrooms to a market-leading online platform, The Watches of Switzerland Group ensures customers feel at ease at every touchpoint. Retail teams go above and beyond, offering beverages and treats鈥攃hampagne, tea, and biscuits鈥攖o make every moment of the experience feel luxurious. Beyond these gestures, the team focuses on building personal connections, taking the time to understand each client鈥檚 goals, the occasion behind the purchase, and the details of what they鈥檙e looking for so every major investment is made with confidence and complete satisfaction.

Expert knowledge, lifecycle support, and a dedicated client recovery team further ensure customers feel cared for not just at the point of purchase but throughout their ownership journey. In doing so, The Watches of Switzerland Group demonstrates that true loyalty is earned through consistency, empathy, and human connection.

Longevity: Experiences That Endure

Gaining a loyal customer can happen fast, with 52% of customers citing that they鈥檝e developed some feeling of loyalty to a brand after just one positive interaction. Lasting loyalty, however, is nurtured over time. The Watches of Switzerland Group focuses on building relationships that endure for a lifetime of occasions.

Aftercare and servicing play a crucial role in ensuring the life and integrity of each timepiece. But longevity also means evolving with customer expectations. With 195 global showrooms and a robust e-commerce platform, The Watches of Switzerland Group takes a true multi-channel approach to provide high-quality, consistent, and connected experiences in the channels that their customers are engaging in. Initiatives like next-day delivery, online appointment booking, and a Luxury Watch & Jewelry Virtual Boutique ensure that even online shoppers experience a personalized, one-to-one feel from the comfort of home. This flexibility not only benefits shoppers who can鈥檛 visit a showroom in person or prefer to begin their journey online, but it also creates new opportunities and skill development for employees.

Longevity starts with the people behind the brand. With over 3,000 colleagues worldwide, The Watches of Switzerland Group invests in training and development, including a two-day Xenia program to embed hospitality into every customer touchpoint. The company also launched Connect, an internal and external communications platform celebrating outstanding client experiences and driving engagement across all levels. 

Celebration is central to the culture: in the U.S., the 鈥�100 Club鈥� initiative recognizes individuals and teams who consistently achieve 100% client satisfaction. Together, these programs ensure longevity isn鈥檛 just about retaining clients, it鈥檚 about building a culture that sustains exceptional experiences year after year.

Legacy: Creating Stories for Generations

Luxury watches are more than objects; they are heirlooms, passed down through families as symbols of love, achievement, milestones, and more. By helping clients select meaningful pieces that commemorate life鈥檚 milestones, The Watches of Switzerland Group creates stories that endure far beyond the initial purchase. 

“We鈥檙e building a legacy of care,鈥� Jarvis explains. 鈥淓very team member, from the showroom to the support office, contributes to customer trust, helping clients select pieces that honor life鈥檚 milestones and are treasured for years to come.鈥�

This approach transforms The Watches of Switzerland Group into a trusted family partner. When clients know they can return time and again for new milestones, brand advocacy and loyalty grow exponentially. In fact, that loyal customers are more likely to spread the word and advocate for a brand. 

By focusing on storytelling, heritage, and trust, the company ensures that its legacy is not only about luxury products but about the memories and relationships their products represent.

Not Just Ideals: Daily Practices

Through more than two centuries in business, The Watches of Switzerland Group has proven that loyalty, longevity, and legacy are not abstract ideals鈥攖hey are daily practices. From champagne cheers in the showroom to turnkey virtual boutiques to celebrating success on the internal employee communication platform, every action reflects a culture built on trust, hospitality, and human connection.

The results speak for themselves. The Watches of Switzerland Group versus the prior year in constant currency, illustrating that putting people first drives both business and human impact. With , the value of loyalty as both a business driver and human principle is clear. 

Luxury is often defined by exclusivity, craftsmanship, and prestige. But The Watches of Switzerland Group reminds us that true luxury lives in relationships, not just products. By putting CX at the heartbeat of their organization, the brand has created not only commercial success but also deep human connections that transcend generations.

For organizations looking to strengthen outcomes in 2025 and beyond, the message is clear: invest in loyalty. Because when time is the ultimate luxury, the way you spend defines your legacy.

Our recent research of over 1,800 U.S. consumers, How Consumers Think About Value, reveals several unique findings on how consumers weigh price against experience, product quality, and other factors in making purchase decisions for brands like retailers, restaurants, hotels, and airlines.

Does price sensitivity mean brands should focus on being the cheapest?

Consumers choose many brands because they have the lowest prices. This can vary by industry, with retail and airline customers more commonly picking the cheapest option (60% and 59% of most recent cases, respectively) than hotel and restaurant customers (43% and 41%, respectively).  

However, there鈥檚 plenty of good news for brands that anchor their competitiveness on quality and experience over price. More than half of consumers are inclined to pay more for a better experience. This reveals that differentiation based on premium attributes like high-quality service and superior products can drive many brands to success, even if competitors win on cost.

Even in the face of inflation over the past few years, the “consumer surplus” (what consumers are required to pay versus the dollar value they put on what they receive) is still alive and well. For many industries, over two out of three consumers would have paid more than they did on their most recent transaction if the price was higher rather than abandoning the purchase altogether. This helps explain why consumer purchase frequency did not drop as much as many expected, even as prices rose dramatically.

However, consumers being willing to pay more doesn’t automatically give brands permission to raise prices and expect volume to stay where it is. Consumers can still turn to competitors with lower prices (and get even more surplus value) when products / services are undifferentiated. 

This should force brands to think hard about the quality of experience that justifies the price being where it is. It also means we need markets in which brands can’t collude to raise prices in concert and hurt the consumer, who is left without other options.

Just like industries differ in how often consumers choose the cheapest option, not all industries are equal in their willingness to pay more if needed. When a consumer transacts with one industry, it may more often be a “need to have” than a “nice to have” compared to other industries. That further underscores the need for brands to have the right data to know why consumers choose them and how fragile that choice might be.

Considerations for the retail industry

Drivers of choice for one retailer over another may be very price-dependent, even more than drivers of choice in other industries. 

However, retailers would be missing a critical element of consumer behavior if they didn鈥檛 recognize the 鈥渟hift to convenience鈥� that drives consumers to consider price in the context of many other convenience attributes 鈥� like location, variety, channels, return policies, payment methods, and many others. 

When taken together, these can easily outweigh the attractiveness of low prices, even if each nuanced component of convenience doesn鈥檛 on its own. This explains why 40% of retail customers most recently chose an option that wasn鈥檛 the cheapest.

When shoppers seek better prices, what they are really doing is trying to drive more 鈥渟urplus鈥� for themselves. Remember that the difference between price and value is surplus, so by definition, a lower price drives a higher surplus. However, improved experiences via convenience and quality can drive that higher surplus, too. 

The fact that price is as strong a driver as it is also reveals how opportunities exist for some retailers to further differentiate themselves on attributes other than price 鈥� essentially zigging while others are zagging.

Measurement is critical alongside this finding, too. Every brand will index differently on the surplus drivers. Just like an 鈥渋mpact score鈥� helps brands understand which topics drive scores, analyzing the factors that best drive perceptions of a surplus between value and price can do wonders for helping a brand understand its positioning in the market and adjust if needed.

Considerations for the hospitality industry

The travel and hospitality industry offers a unique lens through which to observe consumer value. While price sensitivity is evident, with about half of travelers typically choosing the cheapest option for flights and accommodations, there’s a clear willingness to invest in experiences that enhance the overall journey. This demonstrates a desire to maximize not just monetary savings but also the experiential surplus derived from travel.

The Price-Conscious, Surplus-Seeking Traveler: The fact that a significant portion of travelers prioritize price underscores the importance of competitive pricing. However, it also presents an opportunity. By offering transparent and fair pricing, travel companies can build trust and attract price-sensitive customers, laying the foundation for a positive surplus perception.

Experiences that Justify the Premium: A large majority of travelers believe a better experience is worth paying more for. This directly translates to a higher perceived value and, consequently, a greater consumer surplus. For example, a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel that offers personalized service, unique local experiences, and a curated ambiance can command a higher price point because it delivers a richer, more memorable experience.

Bundling for Value: Consumers are drawn to bundled offers, perceiving them as a way to unlock greater value. For instance, a resort that packages accommodation with meals, spa treatments, and airport transfers creates a more compelling proposition than one that offers a low base rate but charges extra for each amenity. We鈥檝e found this bundling strategy can increase the perceived surplus by offering a comprehensive experience at a perceived discount.

Loyalty Programs Cultivating Long-Term Surplus: Loyalty programs are powerful tools for fostering long-term customer relationships and enhancing the perception of value. Airlines that offer frequent flyer miles, upgrades, and lounge access to their loyal members essentially provide an ongoing surplus that keeps customers returning. While building true loyalty with customers requires more than points and miles, loyalty programs drive engagement and increased opportunities to build true emotional loyalty.

Transparency as a Trust Builder: Deceptive pricing practices erode trust and diminish perceived value. This issue has been well-publicized in the industry, and experience data proves they are short-sighted. A customer鈥檚 trust will take a significant hit if they are surprised with a charge of $30 a night for bottled water upon request, wifi they can get free at any coffee shop and a small fitness center they don鈥檛 have time to use. Travel companies that are upfront about their fees avoid hidden costs, and truly offer amenities of value are more likely to be seen as offering a fair deal, which contributes to a positive consumer surplus.

Navigating today鈥檚 economic landscape

A brand鈥檚 sustained success lies in recognizing and responding to the diverse needs and preferences of consumers, balancing price with positive experiences to foster loyalty and drive growth. By focusing on elements such as convenience, superior service, and unique offerings, brands can ensure they remain competitive in an evolving market. 

For more insights into 糖心原创 Market Research, meet the team at Experience! 糖心原创 Experience 2025 is taking place in Las Vegas, NV, March 24 鈥� 26, 2025.

Curbside pickup exploded in popularity in 2020 as COVID-19 spread globally. Businesses across several industries fast-tracked the deployment of this relatively new practice in an effort to minimize the transmission of the virus among customers and employees.

But even as the virus  and other parts of the world, curbside pickup remains a popular way for consumers to shop with their favorite brands.

Curbside commerce is a standard part of many businesses鈥� operations today. When a popular bagel shop in New York almost completely stopped due to the pandemic, the owner swiftly introduced a new curbside pickup option, which calmed customers鈥� concerns and actually increased sales. Customers could fully avoid face-to-face interactions by ordering and paying through mobile apps or SMS and MMS text messages before picking up their items curbside.

Since then, many large retailers 鈥� like , , and  鈥� offer curbside pickup and have used innovative in-app check-in processes to streamline the experience for their customers and their staff.

The Increasing Demand for Curbside Pickup

Maybe you鈥檝e returned to shopping in-store in some regard, but curbside pickup鈥檚 form of contactless commerce has taken off and shows no signs of slowing despite lockdown restrictions being completely absent in many regions.

 and  recently conducted a study, titled , that examined the growth of the global pickup economy.

Per the study, 鈥渢he U.S. is home to the largest and fastest-growing pickup economy of all six countries in our study per capita. Nearly one-third of U.S. eCommerce shoppers 鈥� a projected 16.4 million consumers 鈥� picked up their most recent online purchase via in-store or curbside pickup, and that number represents a 37% increase from the share of eCommerce shoppers who did so in 2021. No other country has seen anywhere close to this rate of growth in their pickup economies in the past year.鈥�

When done right, the curbside pickup model provides an efficient, cost-effective, and contactless experience for both the customer and the business. It can be applied to almost any business type 鈥� as proven by the variety of retailers and restaurants using it today.

Curbside pickup kept many businesses open and serving their communities during the COVID-19 global pandemic, and as we have transitioned out of quarantine, it has become a convenient and easy way to purchase goods.

Here are the reasons why curbside pickup is here to stay.

#1. Improve the purchase experience

Customers launch a website or mobile app to browse and evaluate a brand鈥檚 offerings, and it鈥檚 on the brand to craft customer experience (CX) and digital experience (DX) in such a way that motivates the customer to complete a purchase.

Businesses can improve the purchase experience by gathering CX data and identifying weak touchpoints in the customer journey. After all, the purchase experience may be the most important in the customer journey and thus needs to be seamless.

Touchpoints range from a website visit to an email survey to a mobile app session to a text message with the business. With the vast number of channels in which interactions take place, it鈥檚 important to monitor customer experience metrics and use the insights gained in order to improve CX strategy.

One of the biggest pain points of curbside pickup, in the beginning, was how to address concerns raised by customers. By instantly informing the appropriate person or team to respond to customer feedback, you can convert detractors into promoters. Utilizing role-specific procedures, push alerts, and automated escalations makes sure that customer concerns are effectively handled and resolved.

#2. Streamline operations

One of the biggest perks of curbside pickup is how streamlined the process is. There鈥檚 no need for customers to spend time in the store shopping. Instead, they simply place their order from afar and pick it up at a designated time.

While phone calls were the norm to check in upon arrival, it鈥檚 now possible for customers to simply allow a mobile app to track an order and inform the business that they鈥檙e arrived and are ready to pick up.

It鈥檚 a scalable process, too. With most businesses choosing options such as checking in from a mobile app or an email link, curbside pickup eliminates the need for customers to call when they arrive. This eliminates the need for staff to answer phones and simply focus on getting the orders to the customers efficiently.

#3. Health and safety

Consumers and employees felt concerned about close, physical contact 鈥� especially indoors 鈥� when the global pandemic emerged. Curbside pickup, however, utilized digital channels to facilitate communication and handle processes including ordering and paying to pickup. It thus eliminated any person-to-person contact that would risk the health and safety of individuals.

Data obtained by  found that, in 2022, around  as the delivery type for their online purchases.

COVID-19 isn鈥檛 going to disappear from the world anytime soon, but health organizations have continued gaining better control of the virus. Even so, other illnesses such as the common cold and the flu are prevalent. Curbside pickup reduces the transmission of many illnesses, including those.

#4. Consumer convenience

When businesses seamlessly facilitate fast and contactless transactions through curbside pickup, customers are provided with an extremely convenient option compared to in-store pickup or home delivery.

Retail and restaurant customers purchase and pick up orders within minutes or hours, if not immediately. Often, they have the ability to choose specific time slots convenient to them and receive updates via email or app notification. For shoppers who don鈥檛 want to wait (or pay for expedited shipping), same-day pickup from their favorite retail brands can be a much-needed return to normalcy. For dining options, curbside pickup prevents the need for going inside the restaurant, the unpredictability of waiting in long lines for drive-thru orders, or the additional costs that can come with delivery.

While delivery is still the preferred method for online orders, there鈥檚 a meaningful rise in consumers鈥� use of curbside pickup. Curbside pickup allows customers to simply relax in their car and get caught up on the latest  trends, talk on the phone, stay cool or warm in their climate-controlled cars, and let someone else brave the elements to bring them their order.

Curbside pickup is faster than in-store shopping, too, because customers don鈥檛 need to navigate store aisles, wait in line to check out, or fiddle with an awkward self-checkout. Also, inventory tracking is made easier with curbside pickup. Customers simply need to check their app to see if the item they want is in stock or not. Although this method isn鈥檛 100% accurate, it at least gives customers an idea of where to find the items they want.

#5. Business profitability

Curbside pickup has increased profitability for businesses 鈥� courtesy of increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. Businesses that have executed curbside pickup successfully and improved their digital channels typically lead their respective industries.

It鈥檚 likely that many of your customers had never tried curbside pickup prior to the global pandemic. Once they were forced to do it due to health and safety restrictions, consumers found it to be an easy, efficient, and convenient method to get their purchases.

#6. Brand connection

Curbside pickup provides an opportunity for the business to interact 鈥� albeit digitally and from a distance 鈥� directly with the consumer throughout their buying experience. When a business effectively converses in real-time with the consumer to coordinate a seamless and contactless pickup it can create a more personal and satisfying experience than a package delivery 鈥� and one that builds loyalty. Not to mention, the customer is also curbside and sees the brand 鈥� and any marketing 鈥� in person.

With package delivery, businesses are often at the mercy of whatever delivery service they choose. Unfortunately, this can end with a bad experience for the customer and a detractor for a business.

With curbside pickup, a business controls every aspect from ordering to processing and delivery directly to the customer, making it easier to manage the customer journey without an outside company potentially tarnishing the brand image companies work hard to cultivate.

#7. New and improving technology

With cutting-edge software for customer experience management (CEM) and business texting, brands bring together multiple data sources and technologies to create seamless, engaging experiences across the entire customer journey.

Businesses can use new and improving technologies to continuously inform, support, and engage in the moment. So when a customer is ready to order, they鈥檙e able to receive information and answers that motivate them to complete a purchase knowing they can pick up the order shortly.

Curbside Pickup is Here to Stay in 2023 & Beyond

While many businesses offered a form of curbside pickup before COVID-19, it was done for convenience, not out of concern for health risks. As COVID-19 fears continue dissipating over time, businesses are executing an efficient and seamless curbside pickup experience and find they鈥檝e earned a set of customers happy to continue enjoying the convenience and flexibility of their contactless service.

Schedule a demo with a 糖心原创 expert 鈥� we鈥檒l share how our intelligent messaging solution, 糖心原创 Concierge, is the perfect partner for your curbside pickup plan and much more.

Wondering what makes a customer loyal, how loyal customers are across industries, and how to gain loyal customers? My colleagues and I had the chance to answer these questions and more as part of our new customer loyalty research study conducted by 糖心原创 Market Research. The findings are available in our new report: Redefining Customer Loyalty.

The customer loyalty statistics shared here are based on an April 2022 analysis of the following: 糖心原创鈥檚 credit/debit transaction panel for behavioral metrics, tracking the activity of over 5 million opted-in consumers within the airline, hotel, restaurant, and retail industries, combined with a separate survey panel for attitudinal data with a sample size of 2,022 general population restaurant and retail customers, 1,650 general population hotel and airline customers, and 1,474 pre-Covid hotel and airline business travelers.

What Makes a Customer Loyal to an Airline, Hotel, Restaurant, or Retail Brand?

When our team asked survey participants to share the top reasons they feel loyalty toward a particular brand, consumers consistently cited that one of the main factors is that the company is the first to come to mind when they think of a given product or service category. This was the #1 reason cited by retail customers, the #2 reason for hotel customers, #3 for restaurant and airline customers, and #1 overall for customers across industries. 

Based on the survey responses we received, we found that the other top drivers of customer loyalty include:

• Product quality:聽This is the #1 factor that influences restaurant and retailer customer loyalty
• Loyalty program membership enrollment:聽Hotel and airline customers say this is their #1 driver of loyalty
• How often the customer purchases from the brand:聽Being a frequent purchaser is the #2 reason restaurant and retail customers say they feel loyal to a brand and the #4 and #6 reason hotel and airline customers say they feel loyal to a brand, respectively

In fact, consumers say these factors influence their customer loyalty more than when brands support causes they care about (the #13 factor that drives customer loyalty across industries, according to our research), when a brand is one that their friends or family prefer (#9), or when customers have a personal relationship with the brand鈥檚 staff or owner (#12).

How Can Brands Increase Customer Loyalty?

Based on the survey responses we received, we see that brands that want to increase customer loyalty should prioritize strategies that place their brand top-of-mind for their customers over the competition, such as by investing in .

Within the airline and hotel verticals specifically, we see that consumers associate the idea of 鈥渓oyalty鈥� with brand鈥檚 loyalty rewards program, citing being a member of the company鈥檚 rewards program as their #1 reason for feeling loyal to a brand. This is true to a lesser degree for retail customers as well, who cite this as their #3 reason for feeling loyal. There鈥檚 not as strong a link for restaurant customers, who cite this as their #7 choice among the top factors that drive their brand loyalty.

When our researchers asked our study participants what a brand could have done differently to make them more loyal, they said brands could lower their prices and offer better value for the money 鈥� choices that ranked in the top three responses across airline, hotel, restaurant, and retail customers.

What鈥檚 the Best Way for Brands to Measure Customer Loyalty?

Brands typically measure customer loyalty by looking at data from their own internal systems, tracking things like purchase frequency, lifetime value, NPS庐 survey responses, and engagement. While these measures can reveal how different segments are performing 鈥� pinpointing active customers versus inactive ones and promoters versus detractors 鈥� this limits insights to interactions between consumers and a given brand, and fails to provide any competitive context on that consumer鈥檚 behavior with a given product category as a whole.

For instance, your customers might engage with your brand frequently, but that could simply be a reflection of the fact that they engage with your industry frequently as well. With the added layer of external insights, you would be able to see if your customers are actually interacting with your competitors at a higher frequency 鈥� something your internal data won鈥檛 reveal.

That鈥檚 why 糖心原创 Market Research approaches things differently. We measure customer loyalty by tracking consumer panelist activity within the entire market. That way, all of the market activity of a given consumer is considered 鈥� such as dollars spent or number of trips to both you and your competitors 鈥� to determine what market share of loyalty your brand is earning.

Measuring customer loyalty in this way helps differentiate which customers truly are demonstrating loyalty by spending a high proportion of their total in a given category to one brand over the competition. If you want to detect competitive threats and opportunities for improvement in your category, be sure to benchmark your customers鈥� share of spend against your competitor鈥檚 customers鈥� share of spend.

Which Industry Has the Most Loyal Customers?

As part of our research into customer loyalty, we wanted to find out which industry has the most loyal customers within the airline, hotel, restaurant, and retail industries. Our team looked at how many customers are represented in each industry, how frequently they make purchases, and how many brands they make purchases with within a given vertical.

Based on our analysis, we found out that airlines, followed closely by hotels, have the biggest share of loyal customers, compared to restaurants and retailers.

It is true that fewer people in the population are customers of airlines and hotels and that these consumers complete transactions with these brands less often than the customers of restaurants and retailers do. As a result, a given consumer may spread out their activity across a smaller number of airlines or hotels than they would within the restaurant and retail industries, and will appear more 鈥渓oyal鈥� to the airline or hotel they use most often. However, airline and hotel brands see a more loyal average customer even when controlling for this.

Redefining Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty is a critical driver of success for brands. If you want to make the most out of your investments in customer loyalty, be sure to check out our full Redefining Customer Loyalty report.

You鈥檒l learn how the customer loyalty landscape is evolving, get the latest insights on what鈥檚 shaping customer loyalty today, and unlock new ideas for adapting your customer loyalty strategies to gain a competitive advantage within your industry as our researchers reveal how the pandemic has affected customer loyalty, whether customer rewards programs really help improve loyalty, how consumers feel about brand loyalty programs, and what features customers want to see in customer loyalty programs.

To attract and retain customers today, retailers must adapt and innovate faster than the competition. Rapid innovation demands understanding what to address now, and predicting what customers will want next. In order to beat the competition, it is critical for retailers to get these insights quickly in order to know how and where to focus their resources. Sustainable growth and successful innovation start with strong customer relationships, in which customers are willing and ready to provide brands the information they need in order to meet their needs.

Sam鈥檚 Club, an American chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs, is a leader in rapid, customer-centric innovation. Long before 2020 demanded retailers worldwide accelerate their digital transformations, Sam鈥檚 Club had its foot on the gas. From converting stores into distribution centers to launching contactless payments through its app, Sam鈥檚 Club is known to be one of the .

The secret to Sam鈥檚 Club鈥檚 rapid innovation success? On-demand access to its members. Through self-service experience features, like 糖心原创鈥檚 Ask Now solution, Sam鈥檚 Club is able to engage members immediately to discover how they feel and what they need. Ask Now is a feature that allows administrators to add questions to any ongoing live tracking program in an easy-to-use interface within the 糖心原创 Experience Cloud platform. The solution provides a variety of question types, scale types, and segment filters. Once the administrator enters the question into Ask Now, the survey is updated in real time and eligible participants will be able to receive those questions. Results are available immediately in the reporting dashboard.

Tony Lee, a leader on the Sam鈥檚 Club Member Experience Insights team, recently joined a聽糖心原创 Mastercast聽to share how his team is able to stay ahead of member needs thanks to on-demand customer experience management tools. These features were especially critical for the business over the past year, when the coronavirus changed the needs of shoppers overnight. Sam鈥檚 Club knew it had to act fast to change the way it served its members.

Here are a few of the ways Sam鈥檚 Club uses instant customer feedback as its headlights to guide innovation.

Keep a pulse on member needs with an awareness check

The ever changing nature of the past year made clear communication with members especially critical for success. Changing store hours, enhanced cleanings, and updated operations were only successful if members were aware of them. But as social distancing requirements made face-to-face communications nearly impossible, brands were dependent on one-way communication channels such as email, their website, and physical signage to communicate updates to customers.

In one early pandemic leadership meeting, an executive asked Lee: 鈥淎re our members aware of the recent operational changes?鈥� Lee didn鈥檛 know, but he was able to quickly 鈥� while still in the meeting 鈥� spin up a real-time Ask Now survey question to find out. Before the meeting was over, he was able to report back that only a small percentage of members were aware of the recent health and safety measures the company put into place. The team immediately brainstormed ways to improve awareness by changing messaging, moving operational hours to the top of the homepage, and including relevant information in all member correspondence such as marketing promotions. Lee and his team continued to monitor awareness and saw immediate improvements.

Test new solutions with specific segments

Before launching full-scale initiatives across Sam鈥檚 Club鈥檚 nearly 600 stores, the member insights team used instant customer feedback to get preliminary information to deliver back to the business. 

For example, prior to launching curbside services nationwide, Sam鈥檚 Club tested this service through its where seniors and at-risk club members can shop without ever leaving their car. By creating a tag for Concierge Service transactions in the POS, the team could target these buyers with specific real-time Ask Now survey questions. 

Sam鈥檚 Club was able to immediately identify strengths and weaknesses of their concierge service through these insights and make any necessary changes based on instant customer feedback. Everything from the friendliness of the associate, to the condition of the merchandise, to how much time they had to wait in the parking lot, helped improve the service. All of these insights then helped ensure a successful launch of Sam鈥檚 Club鈥檚 nationwide curbside services. And many of the original Ask Now survey questions are now part of standard curbside pickup surveys.

Get into the member mindset

What customers will want next is top of mind for every retailer today. No business wants to repeat the surprises of last year. Luckily, understanding a customer鈥檚 mindset can be as simple as asking them.

That鈥檚 how the Sam鈥檚 Club member insights team has been able to lock into the long-term member mindset and stay ahead of demands. Throughout the pandemic, the team used Ask Now to engage members about how they were feeling and what they imagined the future might look like. 

Lee鈥檚 team quickly discovered that a high percentage of members wanted to keep the number of visits to retailers low but still wanted some kind of normal browsing experience to stock up. Trackers helped identify the types of categories members were going to be looking for in the future, which in turn helped the merchandising team better prepare for their needs. This was especially helpful when planning for the holidays. 

For example, members shared that they did not plan on gathering for Halloween but still wanted to get into the spirit. The merchandising team focused purchases on decorations and limited the mass candy inventory, which was a popular pre-pandemic item for trick-or-treating. When it came to Thanksgiving, members indicated that they were still planning on smaller gatherings but would not be holding back on preparing the annual feast, as many wanted to enjoy leftovers. Tapping into the member mindset ensured Sam鈥檚 Club was well stocked on key items to avoid the inventory plights many other retailers suffered last year. The entire organization was able to better prepare and meet members鈥� needs thanks to these insights.

Preparing for what鈥檚 ahead

糖心原创鈥檚 self-service solutions, like Ask Now, offer retailers an easy, seamless way of quickly capturing insights. With Ask Now, organizations can quickly and easily gain answers to their burning questions, test new solutions, and better prepare for the future without having to rebuild their surveys or impact existing programs. These solutions can act as the headlights to guide any organization as you work to innovate in today鈥檚 unpredictable climate and prepare for what鈥檚 ahead.

Schedule a consultation with an expert to learn more about how 糖心原创鈥檚 self-service capabilities like Ask Now can help you access instant customer feedback to guide innovation at your organization.

7-Eleven was the first retailer to serve hot coffee to go, be open 24 hours a day, and have a self-serve soda fountain. For years, their loyal customers walked into the stores and were able to redeem loyalty points through a punch card. If there was ever an issue, the store associate was there to handle any problem, but as times changed, so did 7-Eleven鈥檚 loyalty program and their 7Rewards system went through a digital transformation.

We recently sat down with Michelle Brigman, Director of Customer Experience at 7-Eleven, to learn more about the ways 7-Eleven puts customer experience at the forefront of everything they do. 

What is your main goal for customers visiting 7-Eleven stores?

7-Eleven鈥檚 heritage was built on a philosophy to have the products customers want, when they want it. That philosophy hasn鈥檛 changed. As customers鈥� needs change, we continue to innovate how we deliver those products and services, whether in-store or through delivery. We continue to test and learn through our 7Rewards loyalty program, new product platforms and our concept stores.

How has customer experience evolved or changed this year?

COVID-19 has really changed the game. I鈥檒l focus on three key areas:

• Safety and cleanliness: Although always important, the bar has been raised and we were ready to act. We implemented physical changes in our stores like sneeze guards, social distancing markers, sanitizer stations and disposable gloves. These changes have been well received by our customers. Here is a link to more details on our safety measures: 
• In-store product mix: Our customers were depending on us to provide more household items, such as paper towels, toilet paper and diapers and we were quick to respond to this demand. 
• Remote work: Our customer service teams went from working in our call center to standing up a work-from-home environment for our agents and this has been a tremendous success. I was so proud of how well we managed that overall transition.

What factors go into providing an exceptional customer experience?

Great customer experiences start with listening to understand customer wants and needs. From there, it鈥檚 our responsibility to deliver solutions that address those wants and needs. We use listening tools like 糖心原创 surveys, social media monitoring and collaborative committees with our franchisees. We then gather insights to inform next best action for the organization, so we are continuously improving on the services we provide. The more our organization can collectively partner, the better our solutions.

What has been your biggest lesson learned in your professional career?

The best work happens when you bring others in. This means knowing your own strengths and surrounding yourself with people who complement the team. Be clear on the intent and give your people the autonomy to do what they do best. Creating a strong performing team is about clear objectives, diverse talent and trust. When you can unleash your team, great things happen. 

What tips do you have for other corporations regarding customer experience?

Take time to ensure your measures are from the lens of the customer. Oftentimes, we measure ourselves from business metrics and then wonder why we don鈥檛 see intended customer response. When you understand what experiences influence sustained customer behaviors, you can easily prioritize the most impactful initiatives, which drive loyalty, satisfaction and sales.