For today’s TextileFuture Newsletter we offer you again two items. The first one describes the methods of “How JACK & JONES gained 35% more satisfied customers in 6 months” and is offered to you by Happy or not Company.
The second feature is about footwear and is entitled “Love them or hate them, Crocs are back”, by guest authorAbha Bhattarai from the Washington Post, describing the fashional revival of Crocs and the history of the footwear.
Thus we have a business item and also an entertaining feature prepared for you. Both articles are of interest to you on behalf of your company or also as a person.
Here starts the first item:
How JACK & JONES gained 35% more satisfied customers in 6 months
JACK & JONES stores have been measuring real-time customer experience with HappyOrNot on top of traditional KPIs since December 2017 in order to develop their business and stay ahead of the competition. All levels of the organization use HappyOrNot data on a daily basis. Business management plans Customer Experience-based competitions, for example, and store managers identify pain points in the store experience and staff training needs.
The quality of the Customer Experience (CX) has quickly become an important variable impacting the overall success of an organization. According to the Gartner Customer Experience in Marketing Survey, more than two-thirds of marketers say their companies compete mostly on the basis of customer experience, and 81% say that in two years’ time, they expect to be competing mostly or completely on the basis of CX. And the systems that impact this customer experience go well beyond the marketing or commerce systems. As this data shows, CX is a responsibility for all operating teams in a successful organization.
A comprehensive perspective is essential, since CX is not driven by one type of interaction or single point of contact. Rather, it is formed based on a range of experiences. As a result, developing CX data from numerous points along the customer interaction continuum is essential, since many different departments within the company will use this data. Nearly every team can benefit from useful CX data.
This makes CX data collection and delivery more than a niche solution. For organizations that are becoming data-driven and running the business based on quantitative dashboards, it is mandatory that CX data is a key component of those dashboards. Top management will support the use of CX data as an important data set to identify both opportunities and problems.
More than two-thirds of marketers say their companies compete mostly on the basis of Customer Experience (CX).
Overview
This eBook will help the reader understand some of the most important best practices and assist in developing an effective perspective on using CX data to enhance success.
Developing effective CX data demands more than just a rudimentary approach to data- collection methods and practices. Poor CX systems can lead an organization astray when data is collected from only some channels, only a few points in the interaction, or when it is gathered inconsistently.
A common mistake is collecting CX data after the fact. Data gathering that is not in the moment may be skewed by false memories or the impact of other downstream interactions. In addition, the data must be consistent both in how it is collected and how it is integrated into business operations. Constantly changing data may cause confusion and will render historical data worthless. Finally, making the data actionable requires that CX data not only is aligned to the business goals, but also effectively used by the operating divisions.
Rudimentary or basic approaches to CX had value in the past, but looking forward, the importance of this data, coupled with the need for a comprehensive perspective, has rendered many legacy CX data-collection systems less than useful. The succeeding chapters in this eBook will go into greater detail on best practices for building a next-generation CX data-gathering process and how it should be used to drive success.
Perhaps the most important aspect of ensuring that CX data is useful and delivering valuable input is to ensure that it is clear at what moment the data was captured.
Also, the data should be captured at multiple moments. One of the most egregious examples of poor moment management is when CX surveys are provided at the end of an interaction.
The Right Way
A great example of this is the approach to CX data taken by one of the largest cable/Internet service providers. Its survey asks for customers’ input about the last person they spoke with, however, this method is doomed for accuracy because the CX process actually starts the interaction with three to four unskilled, low- level, or uneducated staff before the call is escalated to someone that can help. That last person, being better skilled, will get a great rating, but the CX was miserable since the customer wasted 20-30 minutes with unskilled staff prior to being transferred to the competent person. This cable giant is blissfully unaware of a substantial level of customer dissatisfaction.
In this example, it’s impossible to know two things: That the process is broken, and what parts are broken. Inflated CX data is hiding real problems. Without enough data points during the entire CX experience, the “last rep you spoke to” approach becomes worthless.
Another important benefit of capturing CX data at many specific points in the interaction is that it helps gain insight into the emotional state of the customer and how that state changes. By having multiple grades for an experience, it is easier to counter the impact of altruism that often results in inflated scores. Rather than having to provide one make-or-break grade, customers can give input at multiple points, making them more comfortable providing lower scores they may also and, similarly, they may also provide higher scores. This satisfies the altruistic nature of people.
It is also important that the rating scale be simple and consistent. Fine gradations (1-10 scores for example) invite data problems, as people may have very different perceptions of what constitutes a seven. From an analytical perspective, mid-level choices provide very little real value and useful input. With a large range of choices or a numeric scale, it becomes very difficult to understand if a mid-level response indicates low satisfaction or some dissatisfaction. Specificity in responses is essential. Providing specific response opti Quick and Easy Data from all Touchpoints
The need for multiple CX data points that cover the entire interaction is clear. However, this requirement necessitates data gathering that is unobtrusive and convenient. If the CX data-collection process is difficult, two bad things can happen: Little data is collected, or customer frustration with the survey causes negative perceptions of the CX.
Quick and simple feedback should be the design point. Too often, there are too many internal constituencies that each demand their ominutes to complete, and covers everything from web design to the funds transfer process. It’s a near certainty that this doesn’t really provide much useful input.
Using a simple feedback tool at multiple points in the interaction is essential to diagnosing issues or problems in the CX quickly (for the business) and with low commitment (forthe customer). With a simple data-collection approach that generates more responses,
it is possible to rotate the data gathering to different points in the CX interaction. More discrete results that are focused on unique points of the CX (phone tree, returns, billing, hold times, etc.) substantially improve the diagnostic capabilities of the data. The benefits to the business are many: Such surveys provide clarity on which processes are broken and where, identify changes based on specific process improvements, and remove the guesswork from using the data.wn questions. For example, a large global bank uses a feedback survey that is 10-14 questions long, uses a 10-point scale, takes 5-7 minutes to complete, and covers everything from web design to the funds transfer process. It’s a near certainty that this doesn’t really provide much useful input.
Using a simple feedback tool at multiple points in the interaction is essential to diagnosing issues or problems in the CX quickly (for the business) and with low commitment (for the customer). With a simple data-collection approach that generates more responses, it is possible to rotate the data gathering to different points in the CX interaction. More discrete results that are focused on unique points of the CX (phone tree, returns, billing, hold times, etc.) substantially improve the diagnostic capabilities of the data. The benefits to the business are many: Such surveys provide clarity on which processes are broken and where, identify changes based on specific process improvements, and remove the guesswork from using the data.
Automation is Key
Among the most often ignored aspects of broadening data collection is the omission of data from physical interactions. While nearly every organization has both digital and physical customer interactions, many organizations that are attempting to gather both physical and online CX data are not using a consistent system. This makes cross-channel comparison quite difficult. CX data-gathering tools that use a consistent format and scale, such as HappyOrNot, are a huge advantage in gaining real insight into CX performance across all channels not delivered quickly. Many of the commerce and marketing systems will support real-time individualization and offers, increasing the value of rapid CX data delivery. Best-in-class CX data-gathering systems will use automation to immediately deliver this data and the accompanying analysis. In addition, systems should have the ability to send alerts if there are sudden changes in sentiment that require immediate attention. Systems that capture CX data in the moment and across the entire interaction become less valuable if the data from these efforts is not delivered quickly. Many of the commerce and marketing systems will support real-time individualization and offers, increasing the value of rapid CX data delivery. Best-in-class CX data-gathering systems will use automation to immediately deliver this data and the accompanying analysis. In addition, systems should have the ability to send alerts if there are sudden changes in sentiment that require immediate attention.
Once a consistent, comprehensive, and accurate system of CX data collection is deployed, the next step is to ensure that this information delivers real business benefits. The first step to take in making the data actionable is to ensure that CX data is not a mashup of different data sources that are inconsistent or too finely focused to provide broad insight. When different operating groups have their own CX data, the organization cannot develop an accurate, comprehensive perspective that can be trusted for important decisions. This eliminates much of the value from CX data- collection and analysis activities.
Starting on the road to actionable data begins with a focus on shortening the time-to-value from CX data. The longer CX data sits unused in a repository, the less value it has. While many legacy CX systems provided useful weekly or monthly reporting, the reality is that in next-generation, high-speed businesses, CX data must be current to be actionable. Many marketing and commerce systems will change in real time, and, without corresponding CX data, it will be very difficult to maximise the value of those efforts.
Another component of making CX data more actionable is to build strong processes for the integration and utilization of CX data by the different operating groups. Developing a vision for not only how the data will be gathered, but also how it will be used will infuse the data- collection plan with more insight on the use of the data, increasing its value. In addition, there will be less need to redesign or update the data- collection process after the initial deployment.
CX Data Integration
To optimize the integration of the CX data into business processes, the CX solution must have two-way integration functionality. This allows easy integration of the CX solution into existing apps and web services on the front end, and it should also simplify flowing data into analytics and other software tools on the back end.
Put simply, good CX data-collection tools are easily incorporated into the IT ecosystem of the organization.
Integration of CX data is essential to making it actionable and infusing it into the business processes of the organization. However, integration cannot become a resource- intensive, primarily human-driven activity.
Because CX data is used broadly and is integrated into many applications, the cost and inefficiency of manual integration will be a major roadblock. It is imperative that the CX data-collection system have a set of automated tools for data integration and delivery. This is especially important going forward as the amount of CX data being collected increases. Automation also eliminates human errors that may occur resulting in data loss or corruption.
CX data benefits all levels of the organization. For the C-suite, there is clarity on customer satisfaction trends, comparison to industry benchmarks, and insights that support strategic decision making. Operational managers will receive direct input on what is or is not working, assistance in allocating resources, and data on the success of new concepts or trial processes. Lower level or unit management teams can better plan or staff shifts, identify changes to processes that might be necessary, and uncover specific problem areas. And, for frontline staff, it becomes very clear what specific actions have on the customer experience.
To this point, this eBook has referenced the importance and value of broad use of CX data for many different departments within a typical organization. Within this chapter, the eBook will provide specific details on how these different departments can utilize CX data to enhance their own operations. Individual organizations may have unique needs or scenarios that will differ from what is included in the data below that is focused on a more general audience
HappyOrNot® is a leader in collecting and analyzing CX data. Its proven data- collection methodology utilizes the universally understood “four Smileys,” which simplify customer input and eliminate confusion found in many numerical or complex rating systems. The clarity that data from the HappyOrNot system delivers is essential in making CX data actionable. Customer engagement is increased with this straightforward approach. For organizations in multiple geographies, this method of CX data gathering ensures cross-border accuracy.
One of the most important benefits of the HappyOrNot solution is that it is simple to deploy and easily integrated into existing CX apps. No change management is necessary, reducing operational complexity. The solution is a simple plug-and-play technology that requires either no or very little coding when IT utilizes the existing APIs in the tool.
HappyOrNot enables an organization to cover the entire customer journey with the same CX solution. The simple feedback system makes it possible to engage more often without customer fatigue. This supports clear diagnostics for where the pain points are in the customer journey. The data collected in this manner benefits from stronger context, eliminating guesswork and providing greater clarity.
360° CX Performance Insights
The HappyOrNot solution also delivers clear and concise performance reports based on the data analytics. The straightforward nature of data collection makes the data easier to interpret and understand. Increased clarity supports faster decision making and problem resolution.
Automated report generation also removes the burden of building reports or creating output manually. Reports can be utilised by key staff 24/7, no matter where staff are located.
Automated delivery to essential staff is also possible, including a mobile app to receive results on the go.
In addition to your own data, HappyOrNot has a strong customer success team that can provide industry-specific insights and expertise, and trend information based on the broad, global data collected and anonymized by the company.
Perhaps the most compelling strength of the HappyOrNot solution is support for the “phygital” (digital + physical) world. One of the major flaws in many existing CX data-gathering solutions is their digital-only nature. With a wide range of solutions for both physical and digital data-collection systems, an organization can use one complete system for all CX data.
These tools are scalable to support any size of business, from small companies to large enterprises.
Looking at the benefits of the HappyOrNot solution in real-world use provides perspective. Dallas-Fort Worth Airport launched its deployment of the HappyOrNot solution to learn more about the passenger experience at the airport. It wanted to learn from the millions of customers passing through the airport how to elevate and improve the overall experience.
Improving the Airport Experience
DFW monitors service performance at the main areas of the airport—baggage claim, passport control, and security screenings—asking passengers to rate their experience in each area. Daily, weekly, and monthly result reports are monitored by the airport team to track service performance and monitor trends.
The use of the HappyOrNot solution makes both giving and analyzing feedback easier and more impactful. With the HappyOrNot Smiley Terminals, DFW collects an average of 25000 passenger feedback responses each month, growing to 45,000 during peak travel months.
HappyOrNot has helped DFW reliably track and monitor service performance, and has become an essential asset to improving the customer experience.
“HappyOrNot has provided DFW with a unique opportunity to accurately gauge how our 64 million customers view our facilities on a daily basis,” says Ricky Griffin, customer relations coordinator responsible for DFW’s customer experience. “The reports are user-friendly and easy to understand, and the generated customer feedback reports from these kiosks have allowed our team to modify the amenities offered to better fit the needs our customer.”
And here starts the second feature:
Love them or hate them, Crocs are back
Sales have surged during the pandemic and the brand’s signature foam clog is turning up everywhere. ‘I would wear them to the Met Gala.’
By guest author Abha Bhattarai from the Washington Post, Reporter covering the retail industry.
There’s no more denying it: Emily Kelley loves Crocs.
After years of dismissing them as hideous and pointless, the 27-year-old now wears her white foam clogs everywhere — to breweries, the grocery store and on long walks through her Chicago neighborhood.
“During the pandemic, I’ve done a lot of thinking about myself and how I engage with the world,” Kelley said, “and finally realised I can wear whatever I want.” Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the clogs have become “unmistakably, intergenerationally cool.”
Crocs has unexpectedly turned its polarising crayon-colored shoes into a hip, even glamorous, statement. Sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic — up more than 60 % the past quarter — as the brand expands its reach to toddlers, trendy teens and their grandparents.
The resurgence, analysts say, stems from a new management team and scrappy reinvention that includes collaborations with celebrities, designers, even fast-food chains, generating buzz on Instagram and TikTok. Crocs overhauled its business to focus on its classic clog, which now makes up nearly three-quarters of sales, and doubled down on its highly profitable Jibbitz charms, which come in hundreds of styles and pop into the clog’s ventilation holes.
Record profits followed, driving Crocs shares up 300 % since last year. The company expects another sales spurt this year, from 40 to 50 percent, to as much as USD 2.1 billion.
“With this revival, they’ve strengthened their board, completely rotated the executive management team and simplified what they stand for, which is the classic clog,” said Erinn Murphy, an analyst at Piper Sandler. “Some people love them, some hate them, but it’s what they’re known for and they’ve really leaned into it.”
Crocs’ billion dollar strategy: Stay ugly
A recent collaboration with singer Justin Bieber — USD 70 lavender Crocs adorned with chipmunk and teddy bear charms — quickly sold out. Crocs also partnered with Balenciaga on an USD 850 platform clog, KFC on a USD 60 fried-chicken-print shoe with drumstick charms, and Disney-Pixar for a USD 50 homage to the “Cars” films that lights up. Next: A Hidden Valley Ranch-themed shoe studded with french fries, veggie sticks and pizza; it sold out in presales.
Even celebrities without official ties to the company can set off a social media frenzy. Singer Nicki Minaj collected nearly 5 million likes after posting an Instagram photo of herself wearing little more than a pair of neon pink Crocs.
“Their playbook isn’t terribly different from what a lot of other brands are doing — using key influencers to post on social media — but Crocs has done it extraordinary well,” said Jay Sole, an analyst for UBS. “They’ve made the brand cool again.”
Now Crocs are turning up at weddings, in boardrooms, on the runway, even the Academy Awards, where Questlove sported a gold pair in April. “I became a believer in quarantine last year,” the 50-year-old Roots drummer and “Tonight Show” bandleader said in an Instagram post, saying he’s “tired of suffering while stunting.”
“Comfort first at this stage in my life.”
Moony Hernandez, 25, started wearing Crocs — black, with metal spikes and chains — to be ironic, she said, much like she sometimes dons anime streetwear or bunny ears. But now she rotates through five pairs, including a fuzzy, lime green set and the five-inch platforms with sparkles and spikes. On the job in Austin, where she works in tech support, she’s known as “the Croc girl.”
“There’s nowhere I wouldn’t wear my Crocs,” she said. “I would wear them to the Met Gala.”
Crocs debuted nearly 20 years ago at a Florida boat show. The clunky shoes, which sold for about $30 a pair, were quick-drying and easy to clean. And they were comfortable. All 200 prototypes sold out.
Word spread quickly. Sales tripled between 2006 and 2007 as the company underwent a rapid, multimillion-dollar expansion, buying up four companies in three years. Its success was far-reaching — and bipartisan. President George W. Bush wore Crocs, as did former first lady Michelle Obama.
Then came the Great Recession: Demand fell sharply and sales cratered, leading to USD 185 million in losses in 2008 alone. The brand teetered near bankruptcy while its stock, once valued at
USD 75 a share, fell to less than USD 1. (It is now trading closer to USD 100.)