In recent times, the retail sector has experienced significant change driven by digitalization and evolving consumer behavior. During the 2020-2024 period, the incorporation of omnichannel technologies in Contact Centers, along with the use of artificial intelligence, has ceased to be just an emerging trend and has become a strategic requirement. Why? Because it not only reduces costs and improves the customer experience, but also increases profitability.

The Evolution of Omnichannel in Retail

The health crisis has accelerated the demand for digital services. In 2019, only 11% of companies used chatbots to communicate with customers; however, in 2020, this percentage increased to 25%. Currently, more than 42% of stores already include them in their commercial operations.

Why have so many companies taken this step? Because consumers now demand seamless experiences across multiple channels. A study revealed that 73% of retail customers use multiple touchpoints before making a purchase decision. Furthermore, customers who use at least four channels spend 9% more in-store and 10% more on e-commerce. In other words, an omnichannel strategy not only retains customers, but also increases their purchases.

Main Benefits for the Retail Sector

Companies that have integrated omnichannel contact centers with artificial intelligence have experienced improvements in three main areas:

✅ Increased operational efficiency and cost savings: Chatbots can handle up to 79% of inquiries without human intervention, which can reduce costs by up to 30%. By implementing artificial intelligence (AI), a retailer improves its efficiency in daily work and minimizes expenses associated with customer service.

✅ Improving customer satisfaction: Chatbots will offer continuous support, instant responses, and personalization tailored to the customer’s history; this progress has generated a 42% increase in customer satisfaction among retailers.

✅ Increased sales and conversion rates: Artificial intelligence isn’t limited to resolving queries; it also offers product recommendations, improves sales interaction through seamless conversations, and drives successful transaction completion. Research indicates that customers who receive good service increase their purchase frequency by 23%.

Retail Success Stories

🚀 Superdry decided to forgo traditional phone service in favor of digital channels using chatbots. The result? A 65% decrease in complaints related to customer service availability, also achieving an impressive 95% resolution rate on its omnichannel platform.

🚀 Sony Electronics has integrated artificial intelligence to detect and resolve queries without the need for human intervention. Currently, between 15% and 19% of interactions are handled entirely by a bot, reducing unnecessary transfers and improving customer satisfaction.

🚀 Lowe’s improved its staff management through the use of artificial intelligence; Automating more than 434,000 hours of manual labor and reducing operating costs by more than $10 million in less than a year.

Is your company ready to take the next leap?

AI-powered omnichannel is not the future; it’s already a reality. Adopting this approach not only optimizes efficiency and customer satisfaction, but also drives business development.

Has your company already integrated artificial intelligence into its customer service? What challenges have you encountered? Share your experience in the comments. This progress offers the potential to dramatically change the way we interact with technology and automate complicated processes.