A leading CE retailer reveals how it keeps a competitive edge.

Dick Smith’s Click & Collect Service has experienced momentous double digit growth since its launch and Dick Smith CIO, Paul Keen, believes it’s all about convenience.

“Consumers want to save time and money. In using our Click & Collect Service, customers avoid delivery costs and often our pricing is more aggressive online,” Keen told www.applianceretailer.com.au after presenting at e-commerce conference, Magento in Sydney’s CBD on Wednesday.

Paul Keen

Dick Smith plans to capitalise on its Click & Collect Service, as a proven preferred mechanism, by revamping its website to be Click & Collect First and offering a one-page checkout.

Another key driver of growth for Dick Smith has been transporting and distributing inventory between stores, rather than the use of a centralised warehouse, as it reduces delivery times.

“Consumers have become more and more demanding over the past few years so it is important to provide the best possible service. With the rise of social media, consumers also have a bigger and more influential voice and we believe all of our customers deserve a VIP treatment.

“If we know that one of our customers has had a poor shopping experience in the past, we will do our best to turn their negative brand perception into a positive one,” Keen said.

The Dick Smith team uses customer data to hand down to employees so they can better understand the customers’ shopping experience, what they like and what they don’t like, according to Keen.

“Research shows that between 50 and 80% of consumers undertake research before making their purchasing decision. This means that a number of consumers are potentially walking into our stores knowing more about features and benefits and price, than our staff. Therefore, we need to heavily invest in staff training,” he explained.

In a challenging retail market, a good product mix, an easy to use website and competitive prices are imperative, according to Keen.

“Dick Smith uses daily deals to push a sense of urgency when consumers are shopping online. A number of retailers view customer service as fragmented but we want to create a seamless customer experience in-store and online,” he said.