Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: Near Field Communication, Digital Payments, and Virtual Agents in Your Favorite Store?

New technologies are developing to create unique experiences for customers; Near Field Communication (NFC) is one of those technologies. NFC allows companies to know when you are in the store and monitor your interactions with different products. These “sensors” give companies the ability to provide you with a personalized experience. Here is an example from an article written by David Marcus, President of PayPal, about Near Field Communication and wearable devices…

“For example, we have a pilot running in our on-campus Starbucks that combines Beacon, with an app built for the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2, and Gear Fit devices. Walk into the area covered by the Beacon, your watch notifies you you've checked-in, the barista, greets you by name because your photo shows up on the point-of-sale system, and when she rings you up, you get another push notification. Tap on the watch to confirm the payment, and go. This is one of the most transformative payments experience I've had. No wallet. The phone never leaves my pocket. And I'm in control” (Three Trends that MightTransform the Retail Payments Experience).

This example combined NFC and wearable technology to create a completely personalized shopping experience. In the future, Virtual Agents will be incorporated into virtual retail experiences - For example, if you are interested in buying a router, you can scan the box and a Virtual Agent will pop up on your phone to tell you everything you need to know about that product, acting as a personal “shopping advisor”. While this is happening, your data (interactions with different products) are being sent to a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for sales associates to interpret your history and cater promotions or messaging specifically to your interests/needs. 

There is a lot of controversy surrounding NFC, specifically related to security issues. What is your opinion on NFC? Would you opt to share your 'in-store' activity resulting in a more personalized experience? 

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Throwback Thursday: E-Commerce: Past, Present, and Future.

     We are back for another Throwback Thursday, hope everyone is having a great week so far! 

     From mail order catalogs and brick & mortar to digital commerce, shopping has made its way to technology. This week I found inspiration from an article on TechCrunch, "eBay To Make True Window Shopping a Reality With New NYC Virtual Retail Stores." Coming this summer, eBay is developing a giant touchscreen which will be presented as a window display and pedestrians will be able to literally window shop.
     When I first read this it reminded me instantly of shopping through the paper catalogs that get sent to your home, and it is very similiar, the only difference is this is virtualized. We have certainly come along way from paper catalogs, E-commerce is actually becoming more and more popular as technology continues to advance. In 2012, 8% of total retail sales in the US were online purchases and this number is only expected to continue growing. Online sales is expected to generate 262 billion dollars in 2013, a huge jump from the 231 billion dollars made last year. (source: Experience Advertising infographic)

     With all the online consumers it is important to have  good online customer support for pre- and post sales questions. This eBay virtual store made me think of how great SalesAdvisor would be for it. SalesAdvisor is a noHold product developed to educate, advise, and cross-sell to consumers about their company's products. Not only does this Virtual Assistant improve customer satisfaction, it also up sells which generates more profit from Internet sales in the end. eBay would benefit from implementing this Virtual Assistant to their "shoppable window" for customers to be able to have their questions or concerns answered immediately. Also, the Virtual Assistant can suggest different products based on what you are purchasing.
     The big E-commerce boom has only begun since the advancement of smartphones and tablets. Now everyone is finding it more convenient to purchase things in the palm of their hands. But to be successful in the online marketplace, you still have to maintain a relationship with the customers and make sure their needs are still being met via the web.