Five top UK retail brands for customer experience in 2022

Retailers deal directly with multiple customers day in, day out. A positive customer experience (CX) should be a given, but we all know this is not always the case. Some retail brands manage to set themselves apart by offering a better CX than others. According to a PwC survey of consumers, “73% point to experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions”.

What sets retail brands apart?

Retail brands compete on different levels of price and quality and will attract customers based on those criteria. Customer experience is where brands set themselves apart.

To assess customer experience for retail brands, various factors should be taken into consideration. These include how brands communicate with and respond to their customers, the range and quality of their services, and how they interact with their community, the environment, and their employees.

But which retail brands offer customer experiences that are based on what their customers value and need? Which companies provide a customer experience that delights customers rather than frustrates them? Which businesses exceed their customers’ expectations rather than failing to meet them?

Here are 5 top retail brands for customer experience in the UK:

• Pets at Home – Pets at Home aims to reduce friction throughout the customer experience as well as offering personalised solutions. They use in-store iPads instead of paper forms and train staff so they can offer advice in person and via video. They also track customer-care interactions
• John Lewis – Having long been known for its focus on customer service, the John Lewis Partnership found its reputation slipping over the previous few years. With their new “school of service”, launched in 2021, they are retraining staff with a CX focus. They aim to recruit and retain employees who will stay with them and become net promoters.
• Timpson – Timpson continue to operate an “upside-down” management style. Branch staff make the decisions they need to best serve their customers, including pricing, layout, and deals. The owner, James Timpson, says, “I don’t want rules to get in the way of people giving great service”.
• Zara – Zara is proactive in managing their CX and it is constantly evolving. Employees are trained to listen out for customer comments and ideas as well as observing styles their customers are wearing. They consider them as key designers and track the locations of garments and consumer habits to ensure they can deliver requested items as quickly as possible.
• Sainsbury’s – Sainsbury’s has reimagined their business model and used data and analytics to provide insights to better serve their customers.

A great customer experience needs thought and the right input. The retail brands providing the best CX have purposefully-designed it to help them attract and retain loyal customers.

If you would like any information on service design and how Engine Service Design can help you deliver a better customer experience, please book an appointment with a service design expert below.