Customer Experience of the Year ( Small ): Coco Republic
Interiors retailers and hardware stores were among the big beneficiaries in retail throughout the pandemic . After all , what better time to redesign a home then during an extended lockdown ?
Luxe furniture brand Coco Republic was primed to capitalise on the home reno trend thanks to the swift launch of virtual interior design consults in March 2020 , which provided customers with advice and support to design their space .
“ Interior designers and clients were able to upload to a shared ‘ Virtual Project Space ’ floor plans , inspiration images , photos of existing space , as well as outputs such as moodboards , floor plans and quotes ,” a spokesperson for Coco Republic explained .
Real time chat , video calls , appointment scheduling and comment tracking on documents helped the retailer build a two-way conversation with the customer .
The service , which has traditionally been confined to the brand ’ s showroom experience and client home visits , was offered free of charge for a period and digital tools were added to enhance awareness , engagement and service delivery .
Thanks to the addition of the virtual service , the Victorian team exceeded budgeted sales performance during the year despite enduring more than four months of store closures . New South Wales and Queensland also benefited , with the service allowing Coco Republic to reach customers in locations beyond the remit of a store .
“ Delivery of interior design services should be able to reach clients irrespective of their location and access to showrooms . While visiting the Coco Republic showrooms with personalised service , complimentary hospitality and the opportunity to touch , feel and see the range in styled settings is the preferred journey for many clients , this need not be the only path to purchase ,” the company said .
Coco Republic said the launch demonstrated that innovation to respond to changing market conditions and consumer needs “ doesn ’ t always require large-scale investment ”.
“ What matters most is that client needs are understood and effectively responded to .”
What the judges said : “ An impressive customer-centric initiative that is both a clever pivot to enable a sound
What matters experience during Covid-19 restrictions , but also a long-term enhancement to the offering for the customer and how they might wish to interact with the brand .” Rosanna Iacono , partner , The Growth Activists
most is that client needs are understood and effectively responded to .
42 | www . insideretail . com . au May 2021