Personal customer experience at the heart of digitization

Live video consulting bridges the gap between traditional e-commerce and personal interaction in shops, showrooms or on exhibition stands. This brings companies and customers closer together while they also enjoy all the benefits of online business.

Companies face almost unprecedented challenges today. E-commerce is a growth market and business has to keep pace. But at the same time the personal brand experience is increasingly diminishing for customers.

Even before coronavirus struck, many companies indicated they were struggling to keep up with constantly changing market conditions and customer requirements. The lockdown in early 2020 exposed the limits of over-the-counter retail, while also highlighting the limited user experience in traditional e-commerce.

This paradigm shift soon meant new solutions were needed and lots of companies discovered the use of video consulting for their activities. A whole host of solutions emerged, from improvised FaceTime consulting to high-end set-up in specially created studios.

Video consulting quickly proved a valuable tool for providers of products and services requiring extensive advice. Imagine concluding a contract for a complex, multi-year telecommunications package in a linear online shop or over the phone?

Video consulting eliminates this obstacle. This proved successful at Quickline AG for whom we developed an exciting solution. From the specially created “ad”, specialist advisors answered queries from potential customers and sold them suitable packages.

Already part and parcel of everyday life in Asia, business here launched live streaming, making a virtue of necessity. But video consulting is so much more than an emergency solution in times of crisis. It opens up a whole new world for marketers and sales professionals: independently of opening times, time zones and geographical circumstances, it enables companies to meet their customers in person at the digital POS. And why stop there: they may suddenly no longer need to transport their own exhibition stand at great expense. Their partners can access presentations, training sessions and product launches from anywhere with just one click. Eco-friendly, inexpensive and completely flexible.

Consumers also benefit from this trend as they can now obtain personal advice from the comfort of their own sofa. An estimated 80% of all purchase processes now start online, but consumers still prefer to buy from people. Live video consulting fully exploits this potential.

Discussing products and special offers with an advisor, having individual questions answered and perhaps even negotiating the price – all of this is available while also being able to chat about the weather or last night’s football match. Video consulting opens the door to all of this. Ever tried doing that with a piece of software?

Due to the current situation, Connecta Bern will again be held as a digital event in 2021. Connecta is renowned for shining a light on the diverse nature of digitization and this year will be no different with content presented across the three formats of Connecta Blog, Connecta TV and Connecta Talk. Find out more here: www.swisspost.ch/connecta.