Retail Customer Expectations Have Changed: What You Need to Know to Keep Up

Recall your most recent retail encounter. Did you feel any frustration towards the customer service you received during that experience?  If so, you're not alone. 

At the height of the pandemic, customers were much more lenient with brands and the customer service they received. As time has progressed, however, customer expectations have shifted back to pre-pandemic standards. Additionally, the current economic market and high employee attrition rates only add to the challenges retailers face. Our recent benchmark data shows companies are struggling to keep up, and the customer experience is suffering. We are seeing satisfaction with the retail experience dropping as much as 100 points (out of a 1000-point scale) when a customer needs to wait more than 5 minutes to be greeted or helped by a frontline employee. What can retail leaders do to overcome their challenges, provide a satisfactory experience to customers, and build loyalty and advocacy?

In this episode of the Retail Customer Experience Trends Podcast Series, J.D. Power's Senior Managing Director, Rich Bongiorno, sits down with J.D. Power Consultants, Cody Wright and Young Han, to explore the struggles brands are having with this current customer landscape and discuss how leaders can adapt to address customer satisfaction.

Stay tuned for more episodes in this series, where Bongiorno and his guests delve into challenges and best practices related to the retail customer experience.