Ikea’s Cristina Rutgers-Astolfi talks omnichannel and customer service lessons learned from store ‘front day’
Cristina Rutgers-Astolfi, Global Head of Analytics Ikea Customer Support, has taken to social media to discuss time recently spent on the shopfloor of one of the retailer’s stores, aka a ‘front day’.
In a LinkedIn post, she said: “I love “front days”, when I get to be on the Ikea shopfloor and meet customers and colleagues. It gives me a real insight into what is good, what is not, and what we need to improve.”
“This year, I got the chance to work at the Click and Collect department at the Ikea Store in Haarlem and what an experience it was!”
She added that she now had an even deeper sense of respect and appreciation for the everyday job of her many coworkers who ensure the seamless functioning of Ikea.
“Their dedication to providing excellent service and creating a positive shopping experience for customers is truly commendable.”
Witnessing the digital solutions in action was also a game-changer.
“The efficiency and precision with which products are assembled and prepared for customers' collection highlight Ikea’s commitment to integrating technology seamlessly into its processes, ensuring a smooth and convenient experience for shoppers,” Rutgers-Astolfi said.
She concluded: “Finally, I was highly impressed by the many products customers order online and then collect at the store, especially with Ikea’s diverse range of new and affordable products.”
“It reflects a shift in consumer behaviour, emphasising the importance of flexibility and convenience in the shopping journey. I learnt a lot so thank you for having me!”
China
Ikea Retail (Ingka Group) is opening a new customer distribution centre (CDC) in Tiajin, located outside Beijing, in China.
This is approximately 46,240 square metres in size, with a storage capacity of 25,000 cubic metres, and will house more than 9,500 Ikea products.
The objective is to get closer to the northern customers of Beijing, both physically with new customer meeting touchpoints and through online services, with convenient delivery options.
Aligning with Ikea’s People and Planet Positive strategy and China’s sustainability development goals, the CDC is working on deploying such features as 100% lithium battery forklifts, an energy efficient LED lighting system, and a roof solar system that is projected to reduce approximately 3,312.94 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, which is equivalent to planting 184,000 trees per year.
Furthermore, the CDC features a rainwater collection pool that will result in annual water savings of around 2,000 tons, and as part of the global shift towards electric vehicles, it also offers 12 charging points for electrical truck delivery vehicles.
The facility will also test several automation solutions that look to enhance operational efficiency, picking accuracy, and overall quality. The introduction of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) into warehouse operations will reduce the need for manual picking.
Ikea is also testing an auto packing system at the Central Parcel Unit (CPU) in Shanghai.
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