Reports: Influencers, calls important for shoppers

‘Reach out and touch someone’ might be a clichéd ad from the 1980s, but it turns out many people still prefer the phone for solving problems – especially those related to product issues. According to new data out from Invoca, about two-thirds (68%) of consumers say they prefer talking to their favored brands over the phone rather than via social media messages, or even email.

The problems come when they can’t easily talk to another person – so do keep callers on hold for long amounts of time and make it simple for consumers to get out of automated systems so that they can talk to actual humans. LINK – https://explore.invoca.com/buyer-experience-benchmark-report/buyer-experience-benchmark-report?utm_source=invoca_content&utm_medium=press_release&utm_content=third_party_content&utm_campaign=the_buyer_experience_benchmark_report

“In these high-stakes transactions, consumers want to feel confident that they are making the right buying decision, and offering a human touch is the best way to provide that reassurance and build a rapport with them,” said Dee Anna McPherson, CMO of Invoca. “However, this also means that businesses must pay close attention to the experience that their customers are having on the phone and implement the technology needed to perfect it, because it can make or break the reputation of their brands.”

What don’t people like about the current calling options? Long wait times, being placed on long holds, and 8 in 10 say they’re re-routed too often for their comfort level, making them feel undervalued by the company.

Meanwhile, Inmar Intelligence has released data from a recent survey which finds most shoppers (84%) have now made a purchase because of an influencer’s recommendation. And that just over half (67%) of shoppers have spent more than $150 over the last year because of influencer recommendations.

“Social commerce has been a hot topic in the industry for some time, but influencers are not always included in that narrative. The truth is, content from influencers gives shoppers a reason to buy and inspires purchases,” said Spencer Baird, EVP and President MarTech at Inmar Intelligence. “That’s why influencer marketing is a key offering in our Retail Cloud. We know that companies who utilize influencer marketing are better suited to connect with their target audience since influencers have established a proven connection with consumers who trust and value their opinions.”

Other interesting findings from Inmar’s survey include:

• 81% of shoppers trust influencer recommendations more than celebrity endorsements
• 65% say they follow influencers to find out about new products
• 66% say they’ve made at least one purchase via social platform
• More than 70% say they use Instagram or Facebook to interact with influencers

More data from the Inmar Intelligence survey can be found here. LINK – https://www.inmar.com/blog/press/inmar-intelligence-survey-finds-84-percent-shoppers-have-made-purchase-based-influencers