From: Another Department Store
To: Your Life-Styled Moments Company
JCPenney has faced significant challenges, including financial losses, declining sales, and store closures. The retail landscape is evolving rapidly, with increased competition from online giants like Amazon and innovative strategies from competitors like Kohl's and Macy's. The company needs to address fundamental problems, such as outdated store formats and merchandise strategies, in order to regain customer trust and loyalty.
Beyond products, customers want an experience that mirrors their lifestyle, assists them in navigating both significant and everyday moments, and maintains a vibrant and fun shopping environment.
Our Approach
Acting as their Chief Experience Officer, we took the helm in shaping the Customer Experience from ideation to execution. Collaborating closely with the JCP Leadership Team we played the crucial role of the connective thread, refining strategies and enhancing the overall experience.
The introduction of brand-defining experience acts as a testing ground for innovative strategies derived from extensive customer research. The goal is to create an emotional connection with customers by blending physical and digital experiences.
Key components include revamping merchandise, reimagining the in-store experience, and leveraging the app to engage customers. The company is committed to a journey of transformation and innovation, acknowledging that results will take time. The approach involves a balance between addressing fundamental issues and implementing new, customer-centric strategies to compete effectively in the retail landscape.
Digital Experience
At the heart of meaningful moments is the intersection of two key elements:
1) The dynamic environment in the customer's community, including location, local events, world happenings, and the time of year.
2) The individual facets of the customer's personal life, such as age, family members, calendar events, heritage, and more.
Imagine a digital experience crafted to provide customers with inspiration aligned with the significant moments in their lives. Unlike previous approaches that heavily emphasized assortment and fulfillment, this innovative concept prioritizes an experience that aligns with a broader strategic vision.
How it works:
Customers have the opportunity to link their personal calendar to their JCP digital profile, unlocking access to a unique dashboard. This personalized space offers curated content, a tailored assortment, expert advice, and inspiration that directly resonates with each customer's unique and important life moments.
Omni-Channel
As we introduced new in-store services and fostered increased associate engagement, we harnessed the power of digital to elevate the overall shopping experience. JCP's cutting-edge shopping app puts control in the hands of customers, offering quicker services, heightened inspiration, and enhanced social connections with friends, family, and store associates.
How it works:
Through the JCP Shopping app, customers can seamlessly dispatch items to a fitting room. Once in the fitting room, they use the app to explore additional options, provide item ratings, and request different sizes or styles, swiftly delivered to their room within minutes. The app allows customers to schedule personalized experiences, ensuring they connect with associates to make each event extraordinary even before they step foot in the store. Furthermore, customers can actively engage with associates through the app to discover new styles, draw inspiration, and arrange in-store appointments.
Social Community
While our new store provided ample opportunities for social connections and enjoyment, we aimed to redefine the digital shopping experience. Recognizing the significance of personalization and customer engagement in pivotal moments, we embarked on building a community of devoted advocates and customers.
How it works:
Whether customers were exploring products online or in-store, they could seamlessly invite friends, family, and associates in real-time to join them on their shopping journey. This innovative approach empowered users with tools and amazing live stream spaces to share content, host shopping parties, receive instant feedback, and view live video demonstrations of products in-store, fostering increased engagement no matter where the customer was.
My Role:
Working side by side a dynamic team of creatives, business consultants, and brand strategists, my primary focus was spearheading the customer experience strategy. This encompassed conducting qualitative research, mapping customer journeys, and facilitating workshops, interactions and presentations with their Senior Leadership Team. Building on these insights, I crafted the core experience parameters and provided the initial wireframes and new journey for their new digital experience, omni-channel and live-virtual shopping experiences. These served as a blueprint, guiding their digital teams in expanding and refining the envisioned customer experience.
Team:
Customer Experience and Digital Strategy: Kevin Hisko
Brand Consultant: Marcelo Ceron
Business Consultant: Anila Akram
Creative Direction, Digital: Bronwyn Anderson
Digital Art Director: Jimmy Faye
Creative Direction Enviro: Cristiano Cartolano