For the retail industry, change is inevitable. More and more retailers are making their products and services available online. Retailers are also expanding their reach by catering to customers from beyond their usual areas of service. More importantly, the market is only becoming more competitive by the day.

Catering to customers in their homes and offices is a must rather than an option. You have to start delivering products to customers’ doorstep in order to stay agile and competitive. This often means moving components such as payment and customer experience to mobile. Here are the three most important tips you need to know about catering to customers on the go.

Mobile payment
Hand holding a smartphone with white in hand women.

Convenience First

The first thing to keep in mind is the fact that customer experience is still the most important metric of them all. With physical retail you fine-tune your customer experience by customising your retail space; with mobile commerce you have to rely on the customers’ journey to deliver positive CX.

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Rather than using a courier service, for instance, you can consider creating your own delivery team to maintain brand consistency. After all, it is difficult to rely on courier services when you have an upscale brand to maintain.

The same is true with other parts of the journey. Customers love conveniences, so make sure their entire journey – from browsing through product catalogues to getting aftersales services – as seamless as possible.

Aftersales Becomes More Important

Speaking of aftersales service, how you cater to your customers after they make purchases will be more important than ever going forward. Aftersales services are crucial in keeping customers loyal and boosting their lifetime value.

Gone are the days of not having to worry about whether customers can maximise the value of your products and services. Today, you have to take active steps to make sure that customers not only benefit from your products but also experience those benefits in a positive and meaningful way.

Treat customer complaints as opportunities. When you pamper unhappy customers and really listen to their complaints, you can turn them into advocates that will continue to promote your brand for years to come.

Manage the Extra Risks

Going mobile and catering to customers on the go is not without risk. With payments, you have to make sure that sufficient anti-fraud measures are put in place to prevent financial losses. The same is true with the delivery of products and services.

A good insurance policy can help you offset some of the risks your business might face. For example, if you run a fleet of courier vans you can compare insurance at quotezone.co.uk in order to find the best courier insurance deals. You also have access to a wide range of insurance plans, including fleet insurance.

Additional risks related to your inventory are the next ones to manage. You want to find that sweet spot between having enough inventory for your customers and not storing too many items that tie your cash up in unsold goods.

Everything else is easy when you have these three tips implemented early in the game. Change is not pleasant or easy, but the steps you take to get closer to your customers are certainly worth the loyal customer base you get in return.