AUSTRIA. Smart fitting rooms and chatbot software are part of a suite of solutions being introduced by analytics company Detego which aim to improve fashion retailers’ customer engagement.
Part of the company’s omni-channel retailing software suite, Detego InChannels aims to bridge the gap between online and bricks-and-mortar retailing by using more digital touchpoints in stores.
A new Detego chatbot, which accompanies customers throughout the entire buying process at any time on his or her smartphone, has been introduced.
Smart fitting rooms allow customers to directly communicate with store personnel via interactive screens in the fitting room. They can request other products or sizes be brought to them, or be delivered to other locations.
Detego said a global sportswear retailer was currently rolling out the concept across its store estate, with staff using iWatches to access real-time information.
Detego said the software would produce more accurate data on the number of articles that have been tried on and sold (or not). Social media feeds built into Detego InChannels also give customers the ability to post recommendations or put together outfits that can be shared within their community. “This helps boost levels of engagement with customers, particularly in stores, increasing interaction across a broader range of products,” Detego said.
“[The] software’s more precise and intelligent product recommendations – based on using real-time data on product availability – can increase sales and reduce the number of unnecessary markdowns.
“For instance, only articles that are currently in-stock are flagged up and the intelligent system can even be used to encourage more sales of otherwise slower-selling or higher margin items. The AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities of Detego’s software also mean that the recommendations get better and better as the logic behind the self-learning system continually improves and increases its functionality.”
Detego CEO Uwe Hennig observed: “Retailers have to adapt their store processes to the expectations of a new, digital customer using more modern-day technologies that bring the customer, store and online worlds together for good.”
