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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce sales were expected to represent only 16 percent of the total share of global retail sales in 2020. That number dropped even lower after the months-long state lockdowns, meaning traditional retailers must find new ways to keep consumers spending money in their physical stores. This comes as no surprise, as online stores provide a safe, seamless, easy-to-navigate shopping experience for customers. Whether it be the convenience of sorting inventory from cheapest to most expensive or choosing to only see clothing available in specific sizes, traditional retailers have much to compete with when it comes to the customer’s experience (CX) with e-commerce.
However, there is one thing that brick-and-mortar stores have that e-commerce businesses do not, and that is old fashioned, in-person, face-to-face customer service. Luckily for brick-and-mortar businesses, more than 70 percent of purchases are still made offline in retail categories such as fashion, which tells us customers still value the ability to walk into a store and try on a clothing item before making a purchase.
So how can retailers keep their brick-and-mortar businesses thriving? By focusing on in-store employee training so shoppers who originally walk into a store to try on a clothing item continue to come back because of the experience they have with well-trained, attentive retail associates who deliver a level of customer service that e-commerce business cannot compete with.
Why In-Store Training Matters
To compete with Web-based businesses, brick-and-mortar stores must focus on exceeding customer expectations by delivering outstanding CX. If not, they risk losing business from the 43 percent of shoppers who say interacting with retail associates makes them more likely to complete a purchase. In order to provide this exceptional CX that shoppers desire, in-store associates must be well trained and developed in their craft. With the arrival of 5G this year, mobility will play a significant role in shaping the customer experience as it will improve in-store employee training, thus keeping shoppers coming back to make purchases at physical stores.
5G Will Advance Training for Employees
The arrival of 5G brings faster and more reliable Internet connections. This means retail employees, who often are spread across multiple locations, can access on-the-go employee training from any work location. Employers and employees no longer will have to worry about whether their Internet connection will provide reliable access to training sessions, as 5G brings increased accessibility and improves the user experience for learners by multiplying the performance of networks by 1,000 times. Why is this important? In the retail industry, product offerings, sales, and discounts are rapidly changing—meaning associates need “just-in-time” training that is available anywhere and at any time.
Why Mobile Learning Is Impactful
With smartphones and other devices being an integral part of our daily routine, it comes as no surprise that mobile employee training is a continuing learning and development (L&D) trend. With mobile training, employers can expect to see better results from their employees as smartphones assist with memory anchoring. For employees, mobile learning allows them to absorb content that is short and gamified. While gamification is just one element that is needed to deliver an impactful learning experience, it is an important one that is only becoming more effective with the advancements of 5G. With an incoming younger, digitally native workforce, it is crucial to provide innovative training programs. In addition to making learning fun, gamification instills motivation in employees and inspires a sense of comradery that leads to the learning and development of skills.
As the saying goes, the employee experience directly affects the customer experience. 5G will allow employers to provide a more effective method of training to employees when it comes to accessibility and reliability, thus enabling them to deliver a CX that will keep shoppers coming back to brick-and-mortar stores.
Philippe Riveron is the founder and CEO of Learning Tribes, an international learning and development organization dedicated to creating customized and innovative training solutions to excel customer experience. Learning Tribes has been recognized for the excellence of its teaching methodology and the training quality and expertise of its staff, trainers, and consultants. In 2007, Philippe joined Groupe Acticall and later became part of Sitel Group, a worldwide leader in the customer service industry. For more than 15 years, Riveron has led highly effective teams all around the world and has dedicated his career to advance and enhance training and customer experience practices across multiple industries. Riveron has a Master’s degree in International Business & Marketing. He started his career in the BPO industry, then managed the customer experience department for a telco company before creating his first e-learning start-up. During those years, he served as VP of the AFRC (French Association for Customer Relationship Management).