Results Count ... everything else is conversation.: Can “Digital Associates” create a personal experience online?

Online retailers are turning to "chat" to engage you & close sales

In our last blog "The Power of How," we discussed a major difference between ecommerce and retailer stores. Online retail is very effective and efficient IF you know WHAT you want and need. A tremendous advantage of retail stores is the Associate, who both can ask "How" they can help and showcase ways how they can create a personal solution for you. What if online websites could provide personal assistance if you get "stuck", or just need more information to make a decision. There are online retailers that are doing just that by making a "digital Associate" available to you through a "chat" dialog box. It sounds great to have someone accessible at your fingertips! Does it work? What are the risks?

Power of How online through a "digital Associate" via Chat

As I was contemplating the Power of How blog on creating personalized service and solutions in store, it occurred to me that some online ecommerce sites are also attempting to personally engage consumers. It is not a new phenomenon or technology. Retail and vendor sites have been utilizing a "chat" box (two way text messaging) for well over a decade. The approach is to make a "person" accessible to help answer questions and create a personal experience that is not wholly product centric. Today's website employing "chat" capability often gives the "digital Associate" a first name, and via popup boxes, encourages you to ask questions, or pose problems you are trying to resolve before making a purchase.

I don't know about you, but I'm seeing more chat windows and digital Assistants proliferating on a lot of sites. On my United Airlines account, I can ask "Alex" about any question. On the website where I buy most of my photographic supplies, the digital Associate doesn't have a name, but she sure looks attractive in the chat box photo. What about online retail stores? Can interactive chat sessions with an Associate help online retailers to personalize service, increase close rates, and add to the overall shopping cart to increase profitability?

Bringing the "Power of How" to Omnichannel through chat online

The online approach to "How" is to install interactive dialog to personalize service. There are some actual experiments using "hologram" type visualizations of chatting with an associate. Others are experimenting with "avatars". But, the simplest, least expensive approach is a simple two way chat dialog box where you are free to type questions and an "Associate" responds. The question is … does it work? Is the service "personalized", engaging and helpful in making a buying decision?

I decided to test the "Power of How" and chat with a digital associate. You can repeat my simple experiment described below. I went to an online popular electronics online retailer who has been using "Associate Chat" capability for many years. I typed in the same "how" question I posed in my Amazon search: "How can I print photos from my phone?"

What follows is the recorded transcript which was emailed to me! The email follow-up was an impressive touch that I found to be new. Very smart follow-up! My comments related to the chat interaction are in red. I have deleted a couple of specific references to the online retailer's name and website links in order ensure anonymity. My intent was not to incriminate a retailer, but to illustrate both the potential and pitfalls of executing "how" online via chat.

Transcript of my "how" chat session:

System: You are number (3) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 1 minute 1 second

System: You are number (2) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 0 minutes 38 seconds

System: Thank you for holding. We are currently experiencing extremely high chat volume. A Product Advisor will be with you shortly. For fastest processing please note their name and include it on your order.

At least they did not leave me on "hold" wondering if there was anyone there. And, the wait times are not bad for a Saturday afternoon … I could have waited for service much longer in a store on a busy Saturday.

System: While you are waiting you can check out our current specials at our website.

Ok … I can understand a little product centric promotion. Kind of like in-store signage.

System: Did you know that when you create your account, you'll find it even easier to plan your dream system and keep track of your personal preferences?

Wowser! They have an upfront, built in process for CRM and creating an upfront relationship with me as a consumer. Almost no retail stores take the time or have the capacity to know me as consumer or track my preferences. Store loyalty cards track purchases, not preferences.

System: You are next in queue... Estimated wait time is 0 hours 2 minutes 53 seconds

Whoops … wait time slipped a bit, but at least they let me know.

System: Nick has joined this session!

System: Connected with Nick. Your reference number for this chat session is 1344470.

A very powerful opportunity to track the engagement for future reference. You will see another reason why they track Associate identity so carefully at the end of this exchange.

Nick: Hi, my name is Nick. How may I help you today?

Great start Nick, you gave me your name and asked the "how" question.

chris: Nick, how can I print photos from my smartphone?

Yes, I ask this question a lot! I sincerely want a very simple, inexpensive way to do this.

Nick: I'll be glad to help!

Nick: Which phone do you have?

Nice positive start to engagement. Nick has the presence of mind to do some probing questions in order to diagnose how to help. So far, great job in getting to know me and understanding how to best create a solution.

chris: I have a HTC Windows 8 phone. My wife has an iPhone5.

This is a truthful answer on my part as to devices owned, and the desire to be able to print photos from both of them.

Nick: I have wireless printers but they're only capable of working with the Apple products.

[Here are my immediate thoughts àWhoa … is that really true? Isn't there Bluetooth or an app for that?] This kind of "blanket statement" certainly arouses some suspicions as to credibility …

chris: Ok, how would you make it work wirelessly with an iPhone?

Nick: It has AirPrint built in to the printer, so you'll just want to sync them up.

Apple or someone has obviously done a fine job of training Nick on AirPrint and making him an advocate for recommending printers with that solution.

chris: My wife is not that technical. How would you go about syncing them up ... what does the printer have to have to connect to the phone?

Nick: Just AirPrint and a wireless network in the home. Once you pull up the camera roll on the phone and select a picture, you simply go to options and select the printer.

Ok, me thinks that this is starting to sound a LOT like a sales script … heavily weighted to Apple.

chris: That sounds great. Are there any similar options for Windows phones and/or Android phones?

Nick: I'm afraid not. Only Apple for now. I wish I had better news for you there.

FAIL – GUARD UP >>> DON'T KNOW IF I TRUST~~~ Ok, whether Nick is online or in an actual store helping to solve "how", there is a critical need for training on alternative solutions. While AirPrint might work fine for iPhones, there are other alternatives and other printers that could work as a solution. The question here is, does Nick not know about them, or is he not recommending the AirPrint solution for another reason?

chris: What kind of printers do you sell would have "airprint" already installed ... or is that something you have to add?

Nick: Let me send you a great option by Canon. It's the Pro10. Here it is:

Nick: Page pushed, http://ow.ly/jKGlW

So, Nick makes a specific product recommendation and pushes a link to me for review. Only problem is that this particular printer is $699 on sale, and uses 10 ink cartridges! It is a top of the line photo printer that happens to have AirPrint that Nick is recommending. Wow, wasn't expecting anything that would cost that much or be that expensive to maintain.

chris: Ok ... thanks … [What I really mean is NO thanks!]

Nick: No problem. If you decide to place your order online, please include my name, Nick, as your Advisor. I'll be glad to finish the processing of your order.

Now here is the rest of the story! It becomes clear to me that Nick is on commission and is looking for a referral to collect it. He'll even help me complete the purchase right now to earn the commission! So, how much should I trust his recommendation for a $700 solution to print phone photos … that only works with an iPhone?

Nick: Have a great day!

This had to potential to be a very powerful experience, in which I would have actually purchased a printer solution. Instead, I left with "bad taste" … and a mistrust of this retailer pushing products that they want to sell, and the Digital Associate only trying to increase his commission.

The bottom line – There is tremendous power of "how" in store, or online via chat sessions. However, the danger and challenge is in the details and execution!! To realize the relationship power of engaging consumers in a "how" experience requires:

The retailer to be genuinely interested in helping the consumer find value
Trained staff who know solution alternatives, not specific "hot" products
Trained staff who know how to probe to discover needs, desires and options
Ability and permission to deviate from a "script" to explore alternatives
Never letting commissions or margins dictate which products to push
ALWAYS giving consumers alternatives to choose, not pushing a product
Making it easy for consumers to explore more and continue the dialog

At the end of the day, it makes no difference whether the "Associate" is in store or in chat, the process of solving "how" for the consumer has to be consumer centric in terms of personalizing a solution in order to be believed and valued by the consumer.

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