Amazon's customers expect more selection and choice coupled with compelling value, and they're always going to want things faster than they did yesterday. These are the fundamentals that force Alexis DePree, VP global supply chain, customer fulfillment at Amazon, to evaluate her team's performance to determine what can be done differently and better for the customer. Here, DePree explains how her leadership style helps her team operate the e-commerce giant's complex logistics empire.
In today's world, traffic is faster, food delivery is held to incredibly quick standards and when we order something online – we expect it at our door within two days. Many retailers and manufacturers are struggling to keep up, and their customer service is lacking when they fall short. Indications are that accelerated demands will become normalized. In fact, a recent Logistics Viewpoints report shows that 50 percent of millennials still desire even quicker deliveries.
Customer service has become a key component of the overall customer journey, and more critically, customer lifetime value. Therefore, retailers need to invest in service options to provide choice and convenience to customers.
Shoppers have become increasingly tech savvy and reliant upon their digital devices, and they seek efficiency, independence, and personalization when determining from which site they make their final purchases. While users are not interested in dealing with in-store sales associates, a good portion of shoppers like a personal touch that reflects their history with a brand and want product recommendations based on past purchases.
Guest Column | By Justin Patton, The Auburn University RFID Lab
Ask most retail store employees today what's the most high-tech equipment they use in their jobs on a regular basis and they'll probably tell you it's their handheld bar code scanner, technology widely adopted and reliably deployed since 1982 — the same year the Commodore 64 was released. This is not an industry that quickly embraces new gadgets.
