Press and Media

Linc today launched Promotion Support Digital Worker, which provides immediate resolution of promo code-specific questions directly from within the chat experience. Linc’s Promotion Support Digital Worker builds on its existing Promotion Finder Digital Worker, which launched last year, allowing users to discover and receive information about current promotions. It delivers full resolution of customer issues in real time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the retail sector. Amid the turmoil, there are several key CX trends that stand out, and a retailer’s ability to respond and adapt to them may mean the difference between thriving in a post-coronavirus world or becoming another corporate casualty of the pandemic.

In order to continue growth, Foot Locker should be prioritizing the customer experience on its e-commerce site and allowing many different options such as buy online, pick-up in-store, ship-to-store and curbside availability so that their customers can easily find the product they need and receive the best order support possible.

According to our recent study in partnership with BrandGarage, 87 percent of the 104 retail executives we surveyed plan to increase the use of AI to service their customers moving forward.” –Luke Starbuck, VP Marketing, Linc

Much of the buzz about the potential for artificial intelligence to transform retailing has little to do with reality. Here are some insights into how retailers can use AI today, and how to avoid getting sucked into hype-driven initiatives.

A company’s triumph in the modern “system” era depends more on customers’ experiences than how that company presents its brand. Consumers, then, shouldn’t have to decide between the “what” and the “how” of a brand: An engaging, interactive relationship is what’s needed to make customers feel that they’re a part of the organization.

“As Forrester and other industry analyst firms predict, developing digital-first customer experiences that leverage the power of customer care automation to provide the highly contextual assistance is what’s need to meet today’s customers demand.“

“We’re using AI not only to support customers in their transactional needs — like ‘Where’s my package’ or ‘Can I return a product?’ But we’re also using [bots] to acquire them again,” says Aarde Cosseboom, of TechStyle Fashion Group. “Some of our customers [contact us] to cancel, and we actually retain them with our AI machine learning bots.”

Peloton customers are furious over excessive order delays, and experts say lengthy wait times. “With so many delays continuing to occur, brands that do not prioritize their order support experience will lose loyal customers who will choose to purchase from those that have.”

The Ridge, a digitally native online retailer of proprietary, streamlined carbon fiber products such as wallets, phone cases, and backpacks, has chosen Linc’s AI-powered platform to provide shoppers with a cohesive experience across the whole buying experience.

“The interview with a customer service applicant is underway. After looking at skills and background, it’s time to determine whether the applicant will be a good fit. You’ve conducted hundreds of interviews before, but this one’s a little different — you’re interviewing an agent that could handle thousands of conversations simultaneously and respond to customers in a personal way, without delay.”

“When working with an emerging technology – like voice-activated AI, for example – it is easy to get one’s head turned by novelty. The experience itself is highly novel – not to mention unique, noted Luke Starbuck, vice president of marketing at Linc Global – because unlike other attempts at digital navigation, it is not centered on a screen.”