Let’s take retail stores, for example. Shopping in retail stores can be hectic and exhausting, and most of us, even those who love to shop, would not want to waste time in a chaotic and anxiety-inducing environment. With tech companies like Amazon and eBay paving the way for online shopping everywhere, many of us have chosen to skip the hassle of shopping in person altogether. If retail stores want to keep up, they must become emotionally and digitally intelligent. How your customers feel when they enter your store will significantly impact whether they purchase from your store. Though online shopping is quite popular, most of us still want to feel and see the product in person before buying. Stores with an online shopping option provide a relaxing in-store atmosphere and make it their mission to ensure that customers are well tended to throughout their shopping journey are more likely to see higher sales.
Creating an emotionally intelligent brand makes customers feel part of an experience, not just part of a transaction. Brands must be accessible to their customers on the internet and through smart devices in the digital age. Brands like Nordstrom have decided to revamp their company to suit the digital generation by introducing their new retail store, “Nordstrom Neighborhood.” Unlike a traditional retail store, Nordstrom Neighborhood does not house its products in-house. Instead, Nordstrom Neighborhood accompanies Nordstrom’s e-store, allowing customers to purchase their items online. Within a couple of hours, those products are made available for pick-up in the Nordstrom Neighborhood. For those of us with busy schedules and not enough time to go to the mall, an innovation like this allows them to purchase and pick up their products online seamlessly and in-person on their own time.
Having a human element to business is necessary for any brand that hopes to be lucrative. Technological innovation has made companies aware of just who their customers are, what they feel, and how to best interact with them.