Retailers’ Communications Conundrum

June 6, 2011 - It’s no secret retailers have been taking any and every advantage of social media and the mobile revolution, sending text messages to convey the hottest in-store sale, setting up Twitter accounts to engage consumers, or creating Facebook pages to keep customers abreast of the latest loyalty rewards program. It’s like an open playground to extend reach and connect with customers like never before.

Except for one thing: It’s actually backfiring in most cases. While retailers may love it, consumers feel frustrated, annoyed, and trapped when they’re getting bombarded from all directions. Despite resulting in direct implications on falling customer service levels, retailers continue the full-court communications press.

They need to stop fooling themselves. When it comes to customer communications, more isn’t always better. It’s about the right message through the right channel at the right time. And retailers who fail to recognize this will continue to isolate themselves from customers.