Today, for loyalty marketers, the customer experience has to be memorable and shareable. Developing and elevating a connected store experience drives relevance and engagement where loyalty marketers strive to surprise and delight their customers.
Danielle Quatrochi, Senior Vice President of Digital Customer Experience and Innovation for The Finish Line, told Loyalty360 that there is no longer a one-size-fits-all approach to loyalty.
“We tailor 1-to-1, personalized engagement outreach to resonate more with customers based on what they browse and purchase,” Quatrochi explained. “Through that personalization, we can continually create more meaningful loyalty benefits for them while maintaining a high level of service, which they now expect. A key element of the customer experience occurs behind the scenes with the post-purchase experience and returns, for example. Customers expect that to be as seamless as the shopping experience and when it is, they appreciate and value that. We are focused on delivering a premium end-to-end experience from click to doorbell.”
Quatrochi believes that The Finish Line’s new in-store experience drives more customer engagement and loyalty.
“By implementing an RFID Digital Display, customers can now see content come to life specific to that shoe, driving a deeper level of storytelling, product information, and service,” she explained. “Customers can also now have some fun trying on shoes. They stand in front of our SneakerFeed Mirror, change the background of the mirror, record a video or snap a shot, and send it to their friends for purchase validation. It’s no longer just about the transaction. Retailers must find new ways to delight the customer.”
The Finish Line’s goal is to provide relevant content, offers, and services that matter for each customer and within the shopping channel that’s most meaningful to them. Since the company launched its initial app, it learned that customers want a simple way to manage their loyalty progress with Finish Line, and access to exclusive benefits and interactions.
“We must keep a relentless focus on the customer,” Quatrochi added. “Customers expect more today than the transaction. We need to capture their attention, earn their loyalty, and keep them satisfied throughout their complete shopping experience with us. Customers demand immediate and responsive interactions as they shop, whether online or in a store. With a wealth of resources available to them at their fingertips, they have higher expectations in terms of service and price. Retailers must evolve to meet and exceed those expectations.”
Mobile customer engagement has been a top priority at The Finish Line.
“With mobile, consumers have access to everything right at their fingertips,” Quatrochi said. “Through our customized outreach and content-rich experiences—with a specific focus on mobile—we can create deeper connections and engagement with them.”