Voice of Customer on AutoZone Omnichannel Retailing
Analyzing the customer experience of e-commerce and in-store
There is a rejuvenation in retail being driven by the digital experience. According to an MIT article on e-commerce, 33% of store shoppers access online pricing information while in the store, and 80% check prices online before visiting the store. Forrester predicts that connected retail will influence 44% of retail sales this year. While digital has become a major factor, many businesses like AutoZone realize that physical stores still play a major role in the customer’s shopping experience. Here are a few statistics of note:
85 % increase of consumer confidence by having a physical showroom
61 % of sales occur on site
40 % of shoppers spend more than planned in-store (impulse buys)
These facts confirm the important role of the in-store experience, and the impact on customers and revenue. E-commerce has the edge when it comes to low cost pricing, but in-store retailing offers the promise of a better customer experience.
AutoZone believes that e-commerce and stores are not an either-or scenario. A combination of strong customer service of stores with the ease of online shopping can help drive their business. AutoZone recently reported traction from their omnichannel efforts. The auto parts retailer’s online sales increased 4.3% in fiscal Q4 and 3.3% for the year.
We decided to see what AutoZone customers have to say about this omnichannel approach. We used the Stratifyd Signals platform to analyze customer feedback comments on the AutoZone Facebook page. By using Signals, we can schedule regular reports automatically so we can compare time periods and find trends and changes in the data.
From the customer feedback in the Facebook data set, we are able to understand the voice of the customer:
- What do my consumers talk about?
- What do my consumers complain about?
- How can my business improve?
- What do AutoZone consumers talk about?
When examining the top positive buzzwords in the data, we learn that #AZNameThatRide contest was a big hit. Consumers from all over the country leapt at the chance to test their classic car knowledge. Most recent consumer comments were about naming the year and model of vehicles posted on the Facebook page. Consumers also love Kurt Busch and watch races at the International Speedway and NASCAR . AutoZone ran a well received campaign that increased consumer engagement and helped create an AutoZone community online.
2. What do AutoZone consumers complain about?
Experiences like the one above have a destructive effect on consumer trust. Violation of trust has serious consequences. One of the most fundamental aspects of consumer service is product knowledge. Providing a customer with the wrong battery can be fatal. When consumers have these kind of experiences, companies need to take responsibility and make the situation right.
3. How can AutoZone improve?
Cyber Monday was a big deal for everyone in E commerce, but AutoZone did not reap the benefits of the day. In order to improve the customer experience, AutoZone can ship directly to consumer homes like other retails like Amazon and do better at inventory management. Customers that go to stores want to have the product in their hands as soon as possible. Otherwise, they will make the purchase online. If the consumer experiences poor service in person and online, then they will look for a different provider.
The Signals platform makes quick work of customer feedback, even that provided in the form of unstructured comments made online. Signals has built-in data connectors to many popular customer review websites, along with social media sites such as Facebook used in this AutoZone study. (See related article: Big Data Connectors for Customer Analysis.)A user can also upload their own data via an Excel or csv file. No matter what data you have, Signals can quickly analyze it and present visualizations of the data that point out insights.
Would you like to see how Stratifyd Signals data analytics solution can help your organization find customer insights? Visit us on http://www.stratifyd.com/ for more information. If you would like a self-service trial account, please chat with us or email webcontact@stratifyd.com. We’d love to work with you.
Would you like to see the AutoZone dashboard on Signals? Click here.
