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Whole Foods: Using technology to establish a connection

A key thought, based on reading The Power of the Post-Recession Consumer, is the change in behavior known as the Spend Shift as today's consumer looks for a lifestyle more oriented towards community, connection and quality. 

If you think about today's retailer line-up, Whole Foods has to be near the top of a list of retailers well situated for this Spend Shift.  Take a look at their website, http://www.wholefoods.com/, and you'll see stores offering community Open Mic nights so local musicians have a performance venue (complete with coffee and wine-bar) -- as well as offers to local farmers to investigate selling their quality, locally grown crops. 

We might argue Whole Foods takes connection to a new level, too.  Their new Customer Comment Boards are designed so shoppers can ask questions, post comments, recommend products and thank employees.  They've always had some sort of communications board -- for flyers, sale brochures and the like.  Now, they're using technology -- an  interactive touchscreen system --  to continue to establish connections!

Customer Service: Asking (for Input) vs. Receiving (Complaints)

CPS recently developed a Customer Comment system to collect customer feedback.  It uses an interactive touchscreen so shoppers can walk up, touch the screen to ask a question or make a comment.  An on-screen, touchable keyboard makes the process simple and easy-to-use.

Comments are sent via Instant Message to store management; responses are posted immediately to the touchscreen.  Managers can also forward product questions to store employees for research and a more detailed response sent via the touchscreen or email.

Shoppers aren't shy about asking why a product isn't available.  More remarkable, at least to us, is that the overwhelming number of comments are positive with shoppers mentioning their favorite products, suggesting new products and thanking individual employees for their efforts.

What's really noteworthy, however, is the volume of comments (much higher than the previous "manual" system) and the positive impact the Comment system has generated.  Many comments are simply, "Thanks for giving us this great way to interact with you!"

From both a customer and store perspective, asking for input and making it both easy and transparent is recognized as a far more positive customer service process than simply waiting to receive what usually turn out to be a complaint.

Proactive customer service...at a touch!