The wallet is the new customer engagement medium par excellence for many retailers. Its use has gradually been diverted for marketing purposes, to the detriment of physical stores. This article explores the importance of the retail network in the adoption of mobile wallets and the various strategies to be implemented. Happy reading!
The use of wallets originally
Initially, mobile wallets were designed to simplify the use of various types of passes in the physical world. Their main aim was to replace plastic and paper cards and tickets with digital versions that could be accessed directly from a smartphone. Common uses include:
- Customer accounts
- Loyalty cards
- Vouchers & gift cards
- Event tickets
- Transport cards (e.g. Navigo Passes)
The misuse of wallets for marketing purposes
Many marketing companies quickly seized the opportunity offered by mobile wallets to launch digital campaigns. However, a major problem remains: these marketing initiatives focus almost exclusively on digital, thus neglecting the central role of the physical store. Digital marketing campaigns, while powerful, can lose their effectiveness if they are not linked to a consistent physical experience. Consumers may even ignore these messages if there is no direct link to their in-store shopping experience. This is why it is crucial for businesses to adopt a unified commerce approach by integrating physical stores into their digital strategy via mobile wallets!
The interest of the retail network in the adoption of wallets in stores
Physical stores play a central role in the adoption of mobile wallets. They are the point of direct contact with consumers. As a result, businesses can offer real-time demonstrations, answer customer questions, and guide them through the process of installing and using wallets in their shopping experience. As long as you build an effective strategy!
In-store enrollment strategies
By following a good strategy, businesses can significantly increase the number of pass adoptions in wallets. For example, among customers who created an account in store, 75% added their card to their wallet, according to the average retail adoption rate measured by The Wallet Crew in more than 3500 points of sale. This high conversion rate demonstrates the effectiveness of a well-thought-out customer enrollment strategy. Let's look at the techniques to adopt together in two main aspects:
Organizational aspects
Tools and supports required to integrate wallets in stores
The idea is to allow customers to easily identify themselves in store. To do this, the use of unique QR codes allows customers to quickly scan and add their customer accounts into wallets. These codes can be placed at various strategic points in the store, such as checkouts or directly on sellers' phones. 💡 Tip! Encourage your customers to scan the QR code with a rewards system. For example: “Register and try to win a backpack! Your Rossignol card in your mobile:
- Identify yourself at the checkouts
- Track your purchases
- Get exclusive offers”
In addition, The Wallet Crew offers extensions for Mobile POS (Mobile Point of Sale) and Clienteling tools in order to facilitate customer enrollment in wallets directly in physical stores. Thus, the enrollment process is simplified by minimizing the necessary steps: customers can easily scan a QR code or touch their phone to an NFC terminal to identify themselves at the checkout.
Training and involvement of salespeople
We are witnessing “change management” where salespeople must evolve from a traditional role, which consisted of entering customer information and informing about available benefits, to a more interactive role. Now, they support customers on how to access their customer account at any time from their wallet.Therefore, sellers must be able to demonstrate the functionalities of wallets, answer customer questions, and guide them through the process of adding cards and their daily use. It is also important to clearly define everyone's roles in the adoption strategy. For example, some staff members could be responsible for technical implementation, while others would focus on education and customer support. By assigning specific roles and clarifying responsibilities, businesses can improve their effectiveness in the field. Thus, this structured approach guarantees that teams are aligned with the objectives to be achieved!
Operational aspects
Integration and identification at the cash register
A good integration of cash register tools is essential for effective customer identification. Cash register systems must be compatible with mobile wallet technologies to scan QR codes or detect devices via NFC. This integration ensures that customers can easily use their loyalty cards, vouchers, and other digital passes without complications. 👉 The Wallet Crew cash register extension offers total connectivity by synchronizing in real time with your point of sale systems (Cegid, Shopify, New Store,...) and Marketing (Klaviyo, Salesforce,...) for smooth and effortless management.
Technological solutions
The use of advanced technology plays a crucial role in improving customer experiences and operational efficiency. They facilitate the use of wallets and the identification of users in stores. Among these technologies: iBeacon is commonly used in retail to send notifications to customers when they enter a store. Thanks to precise geolocation, customers receive personalized information such as:
- Promotional offers
- Product or service information
- Information about the customer's position
👉 For employees, iBeacon is very useful for being informed of the arrival of customers, thus allowing for a more personalized and responsive welcome. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a short-range wireless communication technology that allows the exchange of data between devices when they are close to each other (10 to 20 cm maximum). 👉 Used mainly in mobile payments, NFC technology is also used to digitize and manage cards of store. For example, when making a purchase in store, all you have to do is bring the phone closer to the NFC-compatible payment terminal for the loyalty card to be recognized and applied.
Benefits for the customer in store
Data privacy and security
One of the main advantages of using wallets in stores is the confidentiality and security of personal data. Your customers simply fill out an online registration form where they only fill in the information they want to share. This means they no longer need to give out their personal information out loud at the checkout. In addition, their consent to the use of their data is collected directly after registration. In this way, cashiers just have to scan the customer's card at the point of sale to identify him and thus apply the benefits and discounts. Your customers therefore regain control of their personal data, which promotes a more secure and private shopping experience!
Simplification and security
In stores, customer identification is automated thanks to several functionalities:
- Automatic card pre-opening: When a customer enters the store, the loyalty card or customer account automatically opens on their phone, ready to be used.
- Automatic attachment of customer files: Customer information is automatically linked to the specific store, without requiring manual intervention by staff.
👉 Mobile wallets also help to reduce fraud as each QR code generated for a customer is unique and cannot be attributed to several people.
Accessibility and autonomy
Contrary to the traditional idea that customer files are only accessible behind the counter, customers can now access their information, such as loyalty points, recent purchases, and exclusive offers at any time, directly on their mobile device. This immediate accessibility and autonomy allows customers to manage their account proactively, without having to rely on store staff.
Conclusion
Mobile wallets have become an essential tool for improving the customer experience and increasing the efficiency of operations in the retail sector. Their use not only simplifies the storage of loyalty cards and other coupons in consumers' smartphones, but also makes it possible to regain control of their information. Increasing the adoption rate of wallets in stores has become a major challenge for many retailers. It is in the interest of putting the retail network back at the heart of the adoption strategy! With a good integration of the necessary tools and comprehensive training of field teams, retailers will be in a position to take full advantage of the advantages of mobile wallets in their commercial strategy.
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