Supermarket chain Waitrose is looking to gain critical insight into omni-channel customer behavior in an attempt to improve its digital performance using the AppDynamics Application Intelligence Platform across its eCommerce offering, including Waitrose.com.
Waitrose is one of Britain’s leading supermarkets, with 344 physical stores in England, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands. It aims to combine the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop — dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced, combined with high standards of customer service.
Delivering a differentiated e-commerce experience relies on complex applications running seamlessly. Waitrose selected the AppDynamics Application Intelligence Platform to elicit actionable insights into the customer journey across its online portfolio, which includes Waitrose.com, as well as specialist shops Waitrose Cellar, Waitrose Florist,Waitrose Gift and Waitrose Kitchen.
This visibility enables the brand to provide an intuitive omnichannel experience where digital interactions are in tune with the quality, personalised service customers receive in-store.
The AppDynamics platform promotes collaboration between Waitrose’s e-commerce team and the wider business, enabling the retailer to make cross-departmental, data-driven decisions, and to correlate application insights with challenges from across the organisation, helping departments work together to fine-tune the customer experience. Through AppDynamics, Waitrose now has end-to-end visibility across its entire application environment, as well as access to business and performance metrics in real-time, both of which help improve customer service.
“During the initial trials alone, AppDynamics has enabled Waitrose to spot previously invisible code and database-level issues that were impacting application performance, and consequently, user experience,” explains Alex Bowles, head of IT operations, e-commerce, at Waitrose.
Aside from e-commerce, non-technical teams are also deriving business value from the AppDynamics platform, using Application Analytics to inform strategy on how to improve the customer journey end-to-end.
“Customers no longer distinguish between online and offline experiences— they expect retailers to understand them and deliver intuitive and personalised services,” Bowles said. “Understanding how applications perform is critical to providing a seamless end-to-end experience to customers. AppDynamics has helped us take a proactive standpoint on delivering an exceptional shopping experience to our customers. We’ve been able to spot application and database issues earlier and quicker, helping us to act faster to improve our digital services — it’s been a real lightbulb moment for the rest of the business.”
Jeremy Duggan, vice president/EMEA at AppDynamics, adds: “Waitrose is renowned for its obsession around customer service, both instore and online. For retailers today, creating a consistent brand experience across multiple channels is key to ensuring customer loyalty. “Flawless application performance plays a critical role in guaranteeing customers can access their desired product or service as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Waitrose is leading the way in delivering a personalised experience to its customers and empowering their technology and business teams to exceed customer expectations. We look forward to working with Waitrose as it continues to transform its e-commerce offering.”
