The Background
The pandemic has accelerated retail's digital transformation. Adapting online options poses challenges for REI employees who must navigate multiple systems to complete tasks.
In the past year, 40% of Americans experimented with alternative shopping methods, with approximately three-quarters of those who tried curbside pickup, BOPIS, or delivery expressing a desire to sustain these services post-pandemic. This trend poses a significant challenge for retailers that initially viewed the transition to omnichannel retailing as a temporary solution, anticipating a return to in-store shopping for the majority of customers.
In order to remain competitive, REI is adapting to a consumer marketplace that has been permanently altered by the pandemic. The current world heavily relies on technology solutions and this highlights the need for REI to be more adaptable and responsive to changes in the market in order to maintain their competitive edge and continue to grow.
· A critical look at our digital toolingthrough the perspective of our retail workforce
· Impact to 162 nationwide store locations and 13,000 person retail workforce
· Impact to 162 nationwide store locations and 13,000 person retail workforce
THE OBJECTIVE
Retail employees are expected to provide a superior brand and customer experience while utilizing various job-critical technology solutions. However, these solutions are often not integrated with each other, which creates unnecessary challenges and frustration for employees. From restocking the floor to assisting customers with their needs, these disconnects can cause distrust and dissatisfaction with the technology.
THE CHALLENGE
COVID-19 has sped up retail digitization & BOPIS adoption. BOPIS provides online benefits with in-store engagement. However, REI employees often navigate 2+ systems to complete tasks. Although this is one example, it signals the disparate state of internal systems and the cognitive havoc they wreak on employees, inflating operational costs.
Our Process
UX phases and methods used throughout this project to craft a great user experience.
Conducting user research
The evaluation and observation of existing tools will incorporate employee feedback, such as engagement surveys, feedback, and remote and in-store interviews to identify pain points in their day-to-day usage.
Employee Engagement Survey Results:
· Measure the change in employee engagement scores before and after the optimization efforts. This could be done by comparing scores from consecutive surveys.
· Percentage increase in positive responses to questions related to digital tool usability and effectiveness.
Feedback Analysis from Working Sessions:
· Quantify the number of actionable insights gathered from working sessions with the Retail Operation team and stakeholders.
· Measure the perceived effectiveness of the working sessions through feedback surveys or post-session assessments.
Analysis of Employee Experience Surveys:
· Compare scores from the Glint employee engagement and Ascent quarterly employee experience surveys to identify trends or discrepancies related to digital tool usage.
· Assess the correlation between employee satisfaction with digital tools and overall job satisfaction or retention rates.
Store Visits and Interviews:
· Track the consistency of feedback and pain points identified across different regions and store sizes to identify common themes and issues.
· Accompanying executive leadership on regional store visits to provide first-hand guidance and showcase the problematic digital tool experience
VISUALIZING FEEDBACK
To better understand the retail environment and identify the right problem areas to address, we needed to get a better sense of the big picture. We needed a way to visually articulate the complexity and its role in the customer experience.
MAPPING THE ECOSYSTEM
What is represented?
• Employee role sub-groups
• Responsibility category groups
• Related/relevant tasks for each category group
• Connections between roles and responsibilities
• A high-level audit of the supporting technologies/tools used and categorized by type