In 2018, 59% of merchants already believed that the digital
revolution would have a major impact on their activity within 5 years. (Source:
Guide to digital best practices in commerce ). Today combined with the
equipment of a physical store, digital technologies are present in points of
sale: digital displays, interactive payment terminals, Personal Digital
Assistant (PDA) ...
As for consumers, they are equipped with a smartphone and
are on the lookout for relevant information to choose and make their purchases!
Faced with these new challenges, how to best use the advantages of digital for
your physical point of sale and make your store a phygital space ? Answers in
this article.
Phygital, kesako?
Phygital, a contraction between physical and digital ,
consists in fully integrating digital technologies into all the activities of a
point of sale: from inventory management, through display, to store marketing.
Phygital consists of introducing digital into the equipment
of a physical store .
For example : Opting for a connected cash register connected
to a tablet intended for taking orders in a restaurant is phygital! But what
are the goals of phygital?
Phygital, to improve operational management in your point of sale
The combination of physical and digital in a point of sale
works wonders, especially in improving its operational management :
With digital tools such as a Personal Digital Assistant
(PDA) , the state of your stocks is standardizes automatically both in your
physical store and on your website, because the inventory status of the
physical store and those appearing on your website are interconnected.
Likewise, with a PDA, no more long lists of inventories that
have to be checked by hand, it carries out your inventories in a simple and
automated way.
The advantages are numerous:
• Save time
in stock and inventory management
• Mistakes
are avoided
• Update of
stocks and finer forecast
• The
merchant no longer misses sales due to lack of stocks
Phygital, to improve the customer experience
According to an article published in L'Express in December
2020 , the customer experience is the key investment in 2021 to increase its
turnover.
The 21st century consumer is still walking around with a
smartphone in hand . He appreciates being able to compare prices and choose his
products knowingly. He needs good information to make the decision to buy.
When shopping, he needs fluidity and speed . The long queues
... very little for him! He is also fond of all the nuggets you can sow on his
buying journey:
• a
competition game
• a QR code
to scan, which offers him a reduction on his next purchase,
• a loyalty
card with which he accumulates points ...
By focusing your attention on these new needs and these new
modes of consumption, multiple solutions using phygital appear to improve the
customer experience :
• If you
run a fast food restaurant or a restaurant, installing interactive kiosks where
your customer can order their menu and pay at the kiosk considerably reduces
your customers' waiting time.
• The
establishment of a single queue regulated by a luminous display is also a tool
in the service of reducing customer waiting time.
• The
creation of a website and / or a mobile application linked to the store
offering detailed information on your products and services, promotional
offers, contests ... allows your customer to better know your brand and to the
long to appreciate it. It is also a way to retain your customer
Phygital, to boost the turnover of your point of sale
By investing in digital tools in your physical point of sale, you can boost
your turnover .
If you have a restaurant, you can opt for cash register
management software with remote ordering , and optimized for up-sales. For
example, when your customer orders a coffee, your waiter can suggest and order
tapas from the kitchen directly on his tablet.
Likewise, offer a loyalty cardto your customers, connected
to both the physical store and your website, allows them to benefit from
exceptional promotions to which only they have access. Integrated into your
club of subscribers, your customers feel privileged. Based on their purchases,
you can suggest personalized offers to them. As a result, your customers tend
to prefer your brand over that of your competitors.
Having access to customer data not only improves the
customer experience, but also increases the average basket:
• The
seller can advise, because he has the information of the purchase history
directly from his tablet. The seller can also register a presale which can be
finalized directly at the cash desk.
• The
seller can also make the sale by credit card without the customer having to go
through the checkout. Ideal for reducing waiting time at the checkout!
In metropolitan France, Sephora has made it the spearhead of
its data strategy by making CRM accessible to its salespeople via mobile. You
can also differentiate yourself on the after-sales and customer service part .
For example: a customer who returns a product to the store can be alerted
directly to the repair or its support by SMS or email.
These are all ways to increase your average basket and boost
the turnover of your point of sale !
Phygital, to guard against the coronavirus
The merger of the physical store and the digital allows
during the period of health crisis to guard against the coronavirus .
The use of the “contactless” Electronic Payment Terminal
(TPE ) has spread widely since March 2020. The “contactless” TPE allows you to
pay at the checkout without your customer having to touch the machine, nor you,
his bank card.
The ceiling for the authorized amount withdrawn for
“contactless” payment has also been raised to € 50.00.
The coin mechanisms, already used for hygiene reasons in
bakeries, have been recognized by a ministerial directive as an anti-covid
barrier gesture.
With a coin mechanism, your customer introduces his cash
into the machine according to the amount displayed on the cash register, the
machine automatically gives him change.
Your teams don't have to take charge of your customers'
coins and notes. The risks of contamination are minimized.
The “click & collect” has taken off in the midst of a
health crisis. This is for your customers to order online on a platform or your
website, and to pick up their purchases in store. With this device, physical
contact between sellers and customers is reduced.
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