Customer service in retail has been elevated to creating a positive customer experience. While the term “service” implies helping a customer with a particular need at a particular point in time, the term “experience” covers multiple customer touchpoints, whether in person or online.
For the second year, Multichannel Merchant recognized leading organizations with its Excellence in Customer Experience Awards. Presented at Operations Summit 2016, the awards honor companies that routinely excel at every phase of the customer experience. As we did last year, we used data from the SmartHub benchmarking tool by Radial to determine the top performers in five of the six award categories.
This week, we’ll focus on the winner in the category of best packaging, for the second year in a row: Bath & Body Works.
This category examined how well the merchant used the package to enhance the customer experience, For example, merchants were scored on the internal and external branding of the package, how the packing slip was used for marketing and promotional messages, how well the recipient can identify the shipper, and how appropriate the packaging was for the item ordered.
WHY BATH & BODY WORKS WON: Bath & Body Works won the best packaging experience category last year and it is easy to see why it keeps winning. Its packages consistently stand out for their bright, four-color product photos on the outside. They are like mini-catalogs at the customer’s door.
Inside the package, the packing slip continues the emphasis on branding. It is colorful and well laid out, which also helps adds to the customer experience. As a bonus, the protective packaging on the candles in the order was also branded. It is so clear to the customer that Bath & Body Works has taken extra measures not only to protect the fragile items but also to guarantee the customer’s satisfaction. The candle packaging reads, “The World’s Best Candles Guaranteed.”
IDEA TO STEAL: Using the box as a mini-catalog is a great way to continue marketing to customers. Plus, it makes a great impression on receipt and builds anticipation of a good experience with the products offered. Even if four-color photos are too much expense, merchants can adapt this idea to work within their budget.