News from the Wire

Multichannel Merchant names customer experience awards finalists

Friday, February 24, 2017 — 11:37:45 (EST)

Norwalk, Conn., Feb. 24, 2017 -- Multichannel Merchant has announced finalists for the annual 2017 Excellence in Customer Experience Awards, being presented March 29 in a luncheon ceremony during the annual Operations Summit in Pittsburgh, PA. The awards recognize retailers at the cutting edge of delivery, packaging, returns, customer experience and innovation.

“Based on careful analysis of customer data gathered by SmartHub, these companies have been proven to deliver a superior turnkey experience from the order to the return,” said Mike O’Brien, Senior Content Manager at Multichannel Merchant. “We have been closely following the rapid growth of omnichannel retail, including the challenges of increasingly complex order fulfillment and inventory management across physical and digital channels, and the ever-expanding variety of delivery options. With this comes a host of customer requirements – all presenting unique opportunities to wow buyers and keep them coming back.”

The categories and finalists this year includes:

• Best Packaging: Birchbox, Bonobos, Duluth Trading Co., Target
• Best Shipping & Delivery Experience: Lululemon, Nautica, Rag & Bone, Sunglass Hut
• Excellence in Brand Communications: Best Buy, eBags, L.L. Bean, Toys R Us
• Best in Customer Returns Experience: Bonobos, Gaiam, Nordstrom, Tommy Bahama
• Customer Experience Leader: Bonobos, Fossil, Land’s End, Nordstrom

Finalists for the Retail Innovator of the Year award, presented to a company identified as a continuous innovator based on cutting edge developments, include Amazon, Birchbox, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Walmart and Wayfair.

Data from SmartHub by Radial’s benchmarking study identifies the top performers in each award category, except Retail Innovator of the Year. Finalists are chosen based on data collected during the company’s test ordering process.

“To become more knowledgeable about our prospects and their competitors, we place test orders to gauge the customer experience provided by the retailer,” said Brad Higgs, Operations Manager for SmartHub. “In the beginning, the data was used to support sales in conversations with prospects. The study has now evolved into a full analysis of the ecommerce industry using a standardized process which yields us an ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison of how retailers are performing in the ecommerce space. As retailers come and go, the study adjusts and we have now over 280 retailers being benchmarked.”

“Each order is meticulously processed and recorded over 80 plus data points. In 2016 SmartHub processed over 1400 packages from top retailers to mid-market contenders. The SmartHub system records touchpoints associated with the customer experience such as order cycle time, branding of package, condition of product, meeting of policies set by retailers, etc.”

“We want to offer our congratulations to all the 2017 finalists for continuing to explore new ways of delivering consistent excellence across all facets of the customer experience,” O’Brien said. “In the process they’re increasing loyalty and driving sales, raising the bar on retail innovation and inspiring others to do so as well.”

OSM Worldwide and Global Response are sponsors of the 2017 Excellence in Customer Experience Awards.

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Source: Company press release.