La-Z-Boy deep dives on data signals for creating superior experiences

Tracking customer feedback is no small task for any omnichannel retailer, big and small, as consumers have a slew of channels — site feedback buttons, email, chat bots, social media channels and customer call center interactions.

Analysis, and action, on that feedback are just as challenging in the quest to provide customers with a rewarding shopping and browsing experience.

Those were the top pain points La-Z-Boy Inc. was dealing with in striving to drive customer satisfaction as well as customer loyalty. A top residential furniture producer, La-Z-Boy's company-owned retail segment includes 171 of the 349 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores. It is approaching its 100-year anniversary.

"We had two challenges. The first was an immediate need to gather the digital CX from our website. The second is longer term as it pertains to setting up a CX hub which will monitor and identify areas of CX improvement across all our critical consumer touch points," said Jorge Calvachi, director of insights at La-Z-Boy, in an email interview.

The CX hub will integrate customer data across all channels — breaking down internal data silos. The hub will allow feedback analysis of customer trends throughout the organization with the goal of eliminating friction points in the customer journey.

La-Z-Boy isn't alone in its quest to boost the customer experience. In early September JCPenney announced it had a created a self-funded reinvestment plan of more than $1 billion to enhance customer experience across its physical footprint, improve digital capabilities and to optimize operations. The reinvestment will also focus on long-term growth and boosting customer loyalty.

On the consumer side, shoppers are eager for a more personalized retail customer experience but it's clear not every consumer is getting such an experience. A Constructor's State of Ecommerce Product Search and Discovery report revealed that when consumers shop with their favorite retailer, more than one in three (34%) said the site treats them like a total stranger each time they visit: presenting items that, in no way, reflect their preferences, prior purchases or history with the brand.

The right solution

When Calvachi and his team went searching for technology, and a partner, to solve the challenges it spent time assessing options.

The team chose the XI Platform from InMoment, a provider of experience improvement solutions, based on recommendations from colleagues in the insights and CX industry and research firm Gartner's evaluation of customer feedback platforms.

The XI technology leverages InMoment's text analytics engine and deep learning AI capability. It allows users to listen, learn and act on all data signals within La-Z-Boy. It is designed to help retailers know what to focus on by providing prescriptive recommendations to improve omnichannel customer experiences.

"The first step focuses on the digital CX. We are currently in the middle of it so we do not have ROI or benefits to share yet," said Calvachi. "Our target is comfortable navigation of our omnichannel channels. Our consumers are savvy shoppers and great planners. We know that it is critical for us to deliver a seamless and comfortable customer experience."

First steps

Prior to the technology deployment Calvachi and his team developed an omnichannel experience strategy. They also created an actionable customer journey map which encompasses all consumer metrics.

"Then identify key metrics, bring all customer touchpoints owners along, prioritize most immediate needs and develop a cadence for deployment with other touch points," said Calvachi.

Those strategy steps are part of careful planning which is a necessity when it comes to a successful deployment of CX technology, according to Mehul Nagrani, managing director, InMoment North America.

"It requires a clear strategy with goals and objectives, and a commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement. It is a combination of up front and continued strategic critical thinking with a CX partner that understands the market in combination with the technology," Nagrani said in an email interview.

Analyzing and understanding customer feedback is critical for many reasons, according to Nagrani.

"If done correctly, feedback data can be used to understand what customers like and dislike about a product or service, help businesses focus on problems or issues in real time to improve experiences and increase satisfaction and loyalty, for risk mitigation, identifying trends patterns and behavior, and — ultimately — to make better data-driven business decisions," he said.

"Today's world and customer experience is complicated and it's hard to make sense of a customer's wants and needs. It's still true that companies compete on delivering better customer experiences and now customers are experiencing a company in many more places than before — their website, physical store, on the phone with a call center rep so collecting, analyzing, understanding and acting on feedback is imperative to business growth and success."