Bonmarché puts shopper first with new customer experience programme

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Bonmarché puts shopper first with new customer experience programme.

Award winning women's retailer Bonmarché, has appointed Market Force Information to launch a customer experience programme. After a competitive four-way pitch, Market Force has been chosen to work with the fashion retailer to understand what people like about shopping with them in store and what areas they want to see improved. The research will inform Bonmarché's training to improve the shopper experience, to drive repeat sales and encourage brand advocacy.

The customer experience programme, which launches this month, will initially consist of mystery shops to Bonmarché's 266 stores across the UK. Shoppers will be asked to assess customer service and feedback their findings to the customer intelligence team at Market Force. Analysed findings are presented to Regional and Store Managers in real time using a bespoke online platform. This means that any immediate customer experience issues can be rectified by store teams, while the bigger picture is used to inform strategy and training.

Mark Pickersgill, Retail Director at Bonmarché comments: "We want to increase the number of brand advocates – women who shop with us regularly and then recommend us to friends and family. Customer experience visits can definitely help with this, particularly with results delivered in real time. We chose Market Force because they can clearly deliver the results but also because of their passion for creating the right programme.

"With the success of our online offering and investment in celebrity endorsement (from David Emanuel and Nadia Sawalha ) driving an increase in brand awareness and sales, it is more important than ever that Bonmarché makes sure that shoppers' experiences match their expectations. Customer service is a crucial part of the mix."

Tim Ogle, European CEO at Market Force comments: "The high street is struggling, and every retailer is fighting for customer spend; it is vital for Bonmarché to find out - not just guess – what customers think. Acting on that knowledge means making the right improvements, which will turn shoppers into loyal shoppers who return, spend and recommend."