As smart technology has evolved, it is now common practice for the first interaction with a business or brand not to be in person.
The majority of the path-to-purchases are online where consumers use websites and social media to discover, research and complete their purchases.
In traditional retail businesses, online channels were used as the continuum of the in-store experience driving additional brand engagement and purchase behavior. However, driving the online consumers to engage in experiences offline is a newer phenomenon, yet still fraught with challenges. Online brand interactions can be tailored, enriched with personalized content and data driven. The conundrum there in lies as to how to enrich offline experiences for your consumer with the data you already have about them.
For customers that have already registered an account, purchased a product or service, or have saved their payment information with you, they expect that your website already knows them when they return. The same is true for customers who revisit the same local department store, where the same salesperson knows their name, size and details, time and time again.
That experience is coming around full circle, with technology blurring the lines between online and offline to deliver personal customer experiences that utilize online captured content in real life scenarios. Using RFID and new age bio-metrics technology in devices such as wristbands, beacons or smart devices, businesses are now able to recognize their online customers in the real world.
These advancements allow for previously captured data to be re-used, in turn, reducing friction and enhancing offline experiences. For example, temporarily sharing secure payment information with outlets within an amusement park such as souvenir and food outlets via the use of a wristband that functions as both a ticket and a wallet allows for seamless purchases. This means less time waiting in lines or worrying about cash or tokens, and more hours spent having fun.
With daily advancements in voice bio-metrics and fingerprint data for identification, RFID and smart technology for pairing data, it won’t be too long before you are able recognize your online customers and all their preferences as soon as they walk through your gates.
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