M&S Live Expert service taps Go Instore and Appointedd tech

Go Instore and Appointedd have teamed with Marks and Spencer to launch M&S Video Expert, a live video offering designed to recreate in-store beauty and furniture services for online customers.

This is operated by colleagues at M&S White City in London.

The service taps Go Instore’s live video tech and Appointedd’s online booking and scheduling platform.

A key feature is M&S staff being able to deliver interactive StoreStream live sessions on the retailer’s website, which allows an unlimited number of customers to join a live stream broadcast to learn more about products as they are browsing.

“The last year has accelerated many of the trends and shopping patterns we were seeing pre-crisis and we have responded by building a shopping experience that’s fit for the future, enabling customers to shop the way that they want,” says Clive Hudson, 10x Digital Store Programme Manager at M&S.

“Our M&S Live Expert service helps us to offer our customers flexible, easy and rewarding shopping experiences whether they choose to shop online, in-store, or both.”

He adds: “The service has proven really popular, our in-store experts have taken over 9,000 calls so far.”

“What’s more, connecting staff to online customers is increasing our conversion rates by up to 40% and receiving 92% consumer satisfaction scores. Our customers have booked a total of 500 appointments in just three months, demonstrating the high demand for our enhanced digital offering.”

“We have seen too many household brands disappearing from our high streets due to little to no response to changing consumer behaviours,” states Andre Hordagoda, Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Go Instore.

“The combination of our one-to-many and one-to-one solutions means M&S customers can enjoy the entire purchasing journey from the comfort of their own homes.”

“From initial shop window browsing all the way through to personal consultations with an expert, M&S is adapting to a permanent change in shopping habits and preparing for the future of retail.”