The business of retailing has been one of the greatest beneficiaries of technology, as evidenced by the internet and e-commerce.
But now one retailer is putting another tech component to work to help its sales. Last month, Lamps Plus, the Los Angeles based retailer with more than three dozen stores in the western United States, introduced a texting service where customers with questions can now do so by text.
In doing so, the retailer says it is the first store in the country to allow shoppers to text directly with any of its stores without using an additional app.
Here’s how it work: customers can text via their phone’s SMS app to any of the 37 Lamps Plus stores where a manager or assistant store manager, carrying a dedicated iPhone (during store hours) will respond. All texts are free.
“We consider customer-to-store texting to be important for the future of brick-and-mortar customer service,” says Lamps Plus CEO Dennis Swanson. “Texting adds another level of ease for customers to get answers and details.”
While purchasing via text is not currently offered due to security concerns, customers can reserve a product purchase or transition to a voice call to make an actual purchase.
The ability to communicate with an actual store salesperson, rather than call center personnel is what makes texting such a big advantage. “They are the perfect resource to answer customers’ questions through texting,” says Swanson.