Marks & Spencer is using new technology to understand what its customers think – and shape its strategy accordingly.
The retailer, an Elite trader in IRUK Top500 research, is bringing the Rant & Rave platform into its customer sales and service centres in order to understand the voice of the customer whether expressed through email, webchat, SMS or interactive voice response, and analyse sentiment in real time. Using a personalised dashboard, contact centre staff will also be able to better understand their own performance and where it could be improved.
As a result, M&S aims to bring together real-time feedback across all its channels from both UK and international customers, enabling senior management to get one view of their customers and make strategic decisions that respond to customer needs.
Jo Moran, head of customer service at M&S, said integrating Rant & Rave was part of its plan to transform M&S into a digital-first retailer.
“Putting the customer at the heart of everything we do is a real differentiator for M&S, especially as we look to grow our offer in an increasingly competitive retail market. The insight form the real-time customer feedback will help M&S become more relevant, more often to its customers as we listen and respond to their feedback in a faster and more streamlined way than ever before.”
Kenny Bain, chief executive of Rant & Rave said: “As consumer attitudes to brand engagement shift, it’s crucial that businesses are equipped with the right tools to enable them to engage with their customers across a multitude of channels. By allowing M&S to understand and action real-time feedback, it will be able to continue to develop relationships with its customers and understand how they want to shop with them, generating loyalty and long-term business success.”
Under M&S’ transformation plan, Making M&S Special, the retailer is reshaping its store estate, while investing in digital. The food to fashion retailer set out in May how it plans to close more than 100 stores by 2022, while at the same time growing online to a third of its turnover.
Image courtesy of M&S
