In an e-commerce universe still dominated by the concept of “self-service” it’s all too easy to make the assumption that the majority of customers know what they want.
After all, they’ve done their research. They’ve keyed a few well-chosen words into Google or Bing. And when they arrive at your, site, they pretty much know what they want to buy. That’s where Up Selling service comes into action.
If only life were so simple. Yes, some customers will undoubtedly know exactly what they want as they touch down on your home or landing page, even down to the make, model number and price they want to pay.
But in many cases the prospective customer will be on a bit more of a journey. Think of it this way. Let’s say you’re in the market for a suit or a jacket. That much is cut and dried but you don’t necessarily have any immutable feelings about fabric, cut or colour. You may even begin with a slight bias towards a simple black jacket but end up buying something a little bit more flamboyant because you tried it and frankly it looked surprisingly good. And truth to tell you didn’t really know what you were looking for until you picked your jacket off a rack and thought: “you know what. This might just suit me.”
Up Selling Cross Selling Platforms
Once talking to a customer – and that might be through chat, by phone or using multi-media tools – the role of the agent is provide assistance leading to a sale. In terms of cross selling and up selling, that could mean offering a bundle (say the product plus accessories) or advising on exactly the right product. In many cases this will mean a better alternative at a higher price point. Using the data, agents can also target offers based on geography, or the market segment.
Sometimes finding the right product is a matter of serendipity, helped by judicious store design. Very often though, the sales process can be pushed along by a bit of help from a knowledgeable assistant or – in the case of some upmarket fashion retailers – in-house personal shoppers who will provide a full-on consultancy service. Not sure what to buy. Well, based on your build, skin colour, personality and probably a dozen other factors, your personal shopper will help you make a coordinated choice.
Away from fashion retailing the same principles of personal service hold true. A customer arrives planning to buy a reasonably expensive compact camera, but after talking to an assistant decides on the flexibility and quality offered by an SLR. Just across the road, a customer begins by looking at tablet computers but after talking to an assistant realises that what’s really required is a Chromebook, or an ultra-thin laptop.
Examples of Up Selling
These are all examples of how the personal touch not only provides opportunities to up selling but also – and more importantly – ensures that customers find the right product. A suit that flatters. A camera that allows a high degree of creativity. A computer that is light to carry but with all the flexibility offered by a laptop. And in all these cases, without active help, the customer might have bought a product that was just a bit less suitable for purpose.
The truth is that as customers there are times when we know what we want and times when we don’t.
And one of the most important functions live engagement can play is by providing a direct line of contact between the customer and expert help. Using live chat engagement can give the customer access to a personal shopper experience, with good advice on hand exactly when it is required.