“Daily training and customer surveys with the Maze feedback app give us the energy to boost our work”, says Elise Myhre Hoen, store manager at the Kappahl outlet in the Buskerud shopping mall in Norway.
Since Kappahl began using the Maze app for customer feedback, figures for customer interaction and customer satisfaction have been impressively high.
Elise has been store manager for four years and the Maze app has been used for three and a half years, helping to develop the store. Elise sees a clear before-and-after effect – not only at the cash register but also in staff commitment.
“We were working with customer service before Maze, but its effect is really tangible”, she says. “Previously we scored low on customer experience but changing our work approach using Maze has shunted us way up. We’re now where we should be. Our team is extremely dedicated and really own their jobs.”
Kappahl is an international apparel retailer – Affordable Fashion For the Many. The chain was founded in Gothenburg in 1953 by Per Olof Ahl and currently has almost 400 outlets and approximately 4,000 employees in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Poland.
“We see a clear connection between using Maze and our healthy bottom line”
The Maze app was initially used by store managers but when its potential became obvious all staff were given access to customer feedback. Now, managers and staff check customer feedback throughout the day. The tool has helped Kappahl enhance customer contact and increase the number of satisfied and returning customers.
“We see a clear connection between using Maze and our healthy bottom line”, says Elise. “Both the number of goods and amount spent per customer have increased. Happy customers definitely buy more!”
After a completed purchase, 5 percent of customers – customer club members – are emailed about their experience in the store. Respondents get a NOK 50 discount on their next purchase. Their answers are uploaded to the Maze app. Several parameters can be measured: increased sales, number of customers who have been helped, etc. Since feedback is continuous, learning and training are now daily routine at Kappahl.
“We measure ourselves by many factors”, says Elise.” One advantage is that we get feedback for the ongoing period. On Saturdays, when customer inflow is high, we put special value on questions like: Did you feel welcomed? At the moment, our store is focusing on one issue: Were you asked if you needed help in the change room? Stores can choose their focus according to specific needs.”
“Smart!” says Elise with a grin.
She’s convinced that the competitiveness created by the Maze app is positive.
“Everybody here wants to be better – on an individual level but also for the store. The information is shared and stores learn from each other – both when something works really well but also from negative feedback. The event gets discussed and a strategy is formed to avoid similar situations in future.”
Not putting the customer first or carrying passive staff is common in the retail sector, but for Kappahl it’s unacceptable.
“We don’t have time for that. We’re result-oriented. We’re focused on customer contact”, says Elise.
Anna Karin Holch, VP of customer experience at Kappahl is also impressed.
“Using the Maze app, we particularly study the first contact with a customer and how well we perform there. Then we look at loyal customers – we call them our ambassadors. Like someone who meets a friend at a café and says:
I’ve just been to Kappahl. Wow!”
“That’s the level we want to reach and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
How can you turn every employee and part time worker into a superstar and unlock their underlying superpowers? We talked to our own Senior Partner Gøril Wold Wægger with over 18 years of sales and project experience in the information and technology industry, and 10 years in the hospitality and services sector.
The most impactful part of your success and revenue as a retailer is your company culture. This is what all other positive effects come from. Yet, this is something many companies don’t talk about very often. Let’s look at why this should be a top priority, and how you can build a winning culture.
On the 14th of February, we facilitated an exclusive networking event where some of our most growth-minded Maze customers from the Nordics got together for an inspiring Meetup! Here are some of their biggest takeaways from the event.
