Customer Experience
Talking With: ICXA Executive Director Alicia Lavay
ICXA Executive Director Alicia Lavay reflects on her first year leading the organization and offers advice to retailers and brands when it comes to crafting compelling customer experiences.
June 13, 2023 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
Just about one year ago Alicia Lavay was tapped by Networld Media Group to lead the Interactive Customer Experience Association.
With more than 35 years in media and publishing on her resume, which includes serving as former president and publisher of Vending Times, Lavay is focusing on spreading the news about ICXA, how it can help B2B enterprises embrace technology that elevates the customer experience.
In her role of executive director Lavay interacts with retailers, suppliers and brands that are creating CX ecosystems to share knowledge, foster collaboration and help drive businesses forward. Part of her responsibilities involves facilitating relationships and spearheading industry-specific peer groups that allow industry members to share via virtual networking.
One virtual networking initiative is the ICXA Retail Peer Group which meets every other month for a one-hour sharing session. Membership is free and retailers and brands of all sizes are invited to join. Technology suppliers can click here to join.
The peer group provides an extraordinary opportunity to share insight, query fellow retail leaders on issues and debate hot topics — whether it's getting the retail store associate to engage deeper with customers or how and where AI and ChatGPT will fit into the CX strategy. During the last meeting members shared how consumers are still eager and hungry for digital channels and expect faster and more efficient check-out processes and experiences.
RetailCustomerExperience reached out to Lavay via an email interview to find out what she has learned in her first year as executive director, what trends are in play within the customer experience environment and advice for retailers and brands when it comes to delivering an exceptional customer experience.
Q. Congratulations on the ICXA leadership role. As you've been at the helm for a bit, what big trends/topics seem to be the most compelling when it comes to retail customer experience at this point?
A. Artificial Intelligence as it relates to automation and self-service have been important topics. We were already moving in this direction prior to the pandemic, but COVID exacerbated it, and many customers decided they prefer this type of shopping experience. It's important for retailers to understand that even with advances in technology, customer service is still paramount. AI isn't about replacing jobs, but rather creating a new world of collaboration between humans and machines, and filling skill sets through technology. We need to lean into change, but not lose sight of the human element.
Q. In your role you interact with tons of tech providers and brands. What are some of the challenges you're hearing about and are there any success stories you've learned about?
A. Finding and retaining good employees remains a challenge, and, as just mentioned, there is a delicate balancing act in creating a human experience while embracing new technology. Those who have been successful have made it easy for the customer to make a purchase and have removed the "friction" from the journey in every sense of the word. This might mean a cashless or touchless experience, but also a convenient and user-friendly transaction.
While unattended retail clearly helps alleviate the current labor challenge facing retailers, the challenge is by no means less problematic for retail. Employees play an important role in unattended spaces. The number one function of the employee is to answer questions and make sure the guests are happy. A successful example has been at several high traffic airports. In certain instances, the retailers redeployed staff to be more engaged with the passengers. These retailers recognized that it's not just the speed of the transaction, it's also the passenger experience. Employees are also important for providing feedback that may not be obvious to management once an unattended solution is introduced. This is where customer service sets a retailer apart from the competition and good employees play a pivotal role.
Q. Why, from your viewpoint, is customer experience so vital to retail success today and what advice do you have for retailers striving for CX excellence?
A. You only get one chance to make a first impression. With online shopping and brick and mortar stores, consumers have more choices now than ever before, and if you want their loyalty you need to give them a reason to come back. This is why it's so important to make it easy for the customer to make a purchase and to deal with any problems swiftly as they arise, and to also be at the top of their mind, so when they're ready to buy, they will buy from you. This is one of the reasons that branding is so important.
The best advice I can give retailers is that they must remember that technology is a tool to enhance hospitality by removing friction for the customer. They should convey the message that while their business offers cutting-edge technology to enhance the customer experience, consumers are also able to talk to a human, if this is their preference, and most importantly, customers are treated with respect.
About Judy Mottl
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