The position focuses on fostering robust relationships between a corporation and its clientele. The person on this place ensures shoppers derive most worth from the services or products they’ve bought. For instance, this skilled might onboard new prospects, present ongoing assist, and proactively establish alternatives to assist shoppers obtain their enterprise objectives via using the companys choices.
This perform is essential for enhancing shopper retention and driving income development. By proactively addressing shopper wants and guaranteeing satisfaction, it reduces churn and fosters loyalty. Traditionally, such a proactive assist has developed from reactive customer support fashions to a extra strategic and partnership-oriented strategy, reflecting a shift in direction of prioritizing long-term shopper success.
Subsequent sections will delve into the precise tasks, required expertise, and efficiency metrics related to this very important position. Moreover, we’ll look at how this position differs from different client-facing positions and discover the influence it has on general enterprise outcomes.
1. Relationship Constructing
Relationship constructing constitutes a foundational component of shopper success partnerships. It’s the bedrock upon which belief, mutual understanding, and long-term collaboration are established, enabling shopper success companions to successfully information shoppers towards reaching their desired outcomes.
-
Establishing Rapport and Belief
Preliminary interactions concentrate on constructing rapport. This entails lively listening, demonstrating empathy, and understanding the shopper’s distinctive challenges and objectives. Belief is cultivated via constant communication, clear actions, and delivering on guarantees. For example, a shopper success associate may start by completely researching the shopper’s trade and particular enterprise wants previous to the primary assembly, signaling a dedication to understanding their world.
-
Efficient Communication and Engagement
Sustaining constant and open traces of communication is important. This contains common check-ins, proactive updates, and responsiveness to shopper inquiries. Efficient communication extends past merely conveying data; it entails tailoring the message to the shopper’s understanding and most popular communication model. An instance is offering clear and concise explanations of advanced technical ideas, avoiding jargon, and utilizing visuals the place acceptable.
-
Understanding Shopper Wants and Aims
A deep understanding of the shopper’s enterprise aims and ache factors is important. This requires actively soliciting suggestions, conducting common enterprise evaluations, and analyzing shopper knowledge. By understanding the shopper’s objectives, the shopper success associate can proactively establish alternatives so as to add worth and make sure the shopper is maximizing the advantages of the answer. This may contain uncovering unmet wants or suggesting product enhancements based mostly on shopper utilization patterns.
-
Proactive Assist and Advocacy
Past merely reacting to shopper points, a shopper success associate anticipates potential challenges and offers proactive assist. This may increasingly contain providing coaching, sharing greatest practices, or connecting shoppers with related sources. The shopper success associate acts as an advocate throughout the group, representing the shopper’s pursuits and guaranteeing their issues are addressed. For instance, a shopper success associate may escalate a important difficulty to the product growth crew to expedite a decision for a key shopper.
In the end, relationship constructing isn’t merely a smooth talent however a strategic crucial. The sides described contribute on to shopper satisfaction, retention, and advocacy, solidifying the shopper success associate’s position as a trusted advisor and very important hyperlink between the shopper and the group, guaranteeing the achievement of shared aims.
2. Proactive Engagement
Proactive engagement serves as a cornerstone of the shopper success associate position. It strikes past reactive assist, anticipating shopper wants and addressing potential points earlier than they escalate. This lively strategy is prime to fostering long-term shopper relationships and guaranteeing shoppers derive most worth from their investments. A shopper success associate, as an example, may proactively monitor shopper utilization knowledge to establish declining adoption charges, indicating a possible want for added coaching or assist. This intervention, initiated earlier than the shopper experiences vital frustration, demonstrates a dedication to their success.
The significance of proactive engagement extends past difficulty decision. It additionally encompasses figuring out alternatives for shoppers to optimize their use of the services or products. This may increasingly contain recommending particular options, sharing greatest practices, or connecting shoppers with related sources. For instance, a shopper success associate may analyze a shopper’s enterprise objectives and counsel particular configurations or integrations that might improve their effectivity or effectiveness. Such proactive suggestions exhibit the shopper success associate’s understanding of the shopper’s enterprise and their dedication to serving to them obtain their aims. By proactively providing options and steerage, shopper success companions change into trusted advisors, strengthening the shopper relationship and growing the probability of renewal and enlargement.
In essence, proactive engagement transforms the shopper relationship from a transactional alternate to a collaborative partnership. By anticipating wants, offering proactive assist, and figuring out alternatives for optimization, shopper success companions drive shopper satisfaction, retention, and advocacy. This in the end contributes to the group’s general success and reinforces the worth of the shopper success associate position. Challenges in implementation might embody successfully monitoring shopper utilization knowledge or creating custom-made suggestions at scale, however the advantages of this technique clearly outweigh these obstacles when strategically utilized.
3. Worth Maximization
Worth maximization is a central goal for shopper success companions. It signifies guaranteeing that shoppers understand the total potential and supposed advantages from their funding in a services or products. Efficient execution of this goal is a important determinant of shopper satisfaction, retention, and in the end, organizational success.
-
Optimizing Product Adoption and Utilization
A key side is guiding shoppers via the preliminary onboarding course of and offering ongoing assist to make sure they successfully make the most of the services or products. This may increasingly contain conducting coaching classes, creating custom-made documentation, and proactively addressing any challenges shoppers encounter. For example, a shopper success associate may work with a software program firm’s new shopper to make sure they perceive the platform’s options and the way to combine it into their current workflows, stopping underutilization and maximizing its influence on their enterprise processes.
-
Tailoring Options to Particular Shopper Wants
Worth maximization necessitates understanding every shopper’s distinctive necessities and tailoring the services or products accordingly. This requires conducting in-depth wants assessments, figuring out areas for enchancment, and configuring the answer to align with the shopper’s particular objectives. Think about a shopper success associate working with a advertising automation platform; they’d analyze the shopper’s advertising technique and configure the platform to automate particular duties, comparable to lead nurturing and e-mail campaigns, guaranteeing it immediately helps their aims.
-
Quantifying and Speaking the Worth Delivered
Demonstrating the worth shoppers obtain from the services or products is important for justifying their funding and fostering long-term relationships. This entails monitoring key efficiency indicators (KPIs), analyzing knowledge, and presenting compelling stories that spotlight the optimistic influence on the shopper’s enterprise. For instance, a shopper success associate may observe the rise in gross sales leads generated by a CRM system and current this knowledge to the shopper, demonstrating the tangible return on their funding.
-
Proactive Identification of Enlargement Alternatives
Worth maximization additionally entails figuring out alternatives for shoppers to develop their use of the services or products, additional enhancing its advantages. This requires staying abreast of the shopper’s evolving wants and proactively suggesting extra options, integrations, or companies that might tackle these wants. A shopper success associate may suggest a cloud storage shopper improve to a better tier with extra storage capability as their enterprise grows, highlighting the elevated flexibility and scalability this improve offers.
These sides of worth maximization collectively outline the position of the shopper success associate in guaranteeing shoppers obtain their desired outcomes. By specializing in optimizing product adoption, tailoring options, quantifying worth, and figuring out enlargement alternatives, shopper success companions foster shopper loyalty and contribute considerably to organizational development. The flexibility to maximise worth is a core competency and a defining attribute of an efficient shopper success associate.
4. Retention Focus
Retention focus types a important tenet of the shopper success associate’s mandate. The first goal is to reduce shopper attrition, thereby maximizing the lifetime worth of every shopper relationship. Efficient shopper success methods are intrinsically linked to excessive retention charges, as glad and profitable shoppers are much less more likely to search various options. For example, a shopper success associate inside a SaaS firm may actively monitor shopper utilization patterns. If a shopper reveals declining engagement with the software program platform, the associate proactively intervenes with extra coaching or tailor-made assist to deal with underlying points and forestall potential churn. The companions focused actions are immediately pushed by the retention focus, aligning efforts with preserving and strengthening the shopper relationship.
The sensible implementation of retention focus requires a multi-faceted strategy. This contains proactively addressing shopper issues, constantly delivering worth, and fostering a way of partnership. The shopper success associate serves as a conduit between the shopper and the group, guaranteeing that the shopper’s wants are met and their suggestions is heard. Frequently scheduled enterprise evaluations, for instance, present a structured platform for discussing shopper progress, addressing challenges, and figuring out alternatives for enchancment. These evaluations are immediately aimed toward reinforcing the worth proposition and solidifying the shopper’s dedication. Moreover, profitable retention methods contain constantly adapting to the shopper’s evolving wants, guaranteeing the answer stays related and worthwhile over time. This dynamic strategy is essential to cultivating long-term loyalty.
In conclusion, retention focus isn’t merely a fascinating end result, however a basic driver of shopper success associate actions. By actively working to retain shoppers, the shopper success associate contributes on to the group’s backside line and fosters a tradition of client-centricity. The challenges related to shopper retention, comparable to aggressive pressures or evolving shopper wants, require a proactive and adaptable strategy. Understanding the intrinsic hyperlink between retention focus and the position of the shopper success associate is important for reaching sustainable development and constructing robust, lasting shopper relationships. This understanding offers a basis for creating efficient methods and measuring the true influence of shopper success initiatives.
5. Strategic Alignment
Strategic alignment is paramount to the efficacy of a shopper success associate. The position’s perform extends past mere customer support; it necessitates a deep understanding of each the shopper’s enterprise aims and the group’s strategic objectives. A shopper success associate should make sure that the options and companies supplied immediately contribute to the shopper’s general strategic roadmap, fostering a mutually useful relationship and maximizing the potential for long-term success. The absence of this alignment may end up in misdirected efforts, underutilized sources, and in the end, shopper dissatisfaction and attrition. For example, if a shopper’s strategic goal is to develop into new markets, the shopper success associate ought to proactively establish alternatives to leverage the group’s services or products to assist this enlargement, providing tailor-made options and steerage that immediately tackle the shopper’s particular wants and challenges in these new markets. This proactive alignment demonstrates a dedication to the shopper’s success and solidifies the partnership.
Moreover, strategic alignment facilitates the identification of enlargement alternatives and the event of custom-made options. By understanding the shopper’s long-term imaginative and prescient, the shopper success associate can proactively counsel new options, integrations, or companies that align with their evolving wants. This ensures that the shopper continues to derive worth from the connection and that the group stays a strategic associate of their success. Think about a shopper within the monetary companies trade whose strategic aim is to boost regulatory compliance. A strategically aligned shopper success associate would proactively suggest options that automate compliance processes, streamline reporting, and mitigate danger, thereby immediately supporting the shopper’s regulatory aims and guaranteeing they continue to be compliant with evolving trade requirements. This proactive strategy not solely strengthens the shopper relationship but in addition positions the group as a trusted advisor and strategic associate.
In conclusion, strategic alignment isn’t merely a fascinating attribute however a foundational requirement for shopper success companions. It requires a deep understanding of each the shopper’s and the group’s strategic aims, proactive communication, and a dedication to delivering options that immediately contribute to the shopper’s long-term success. Whereas reaching good alignment may be difficult, significantly in dynamic and sophisticated enterprise environments, the advantages of prioritizing strategic alignment are plain. It fosters stronger shopper relationships, drives income development, and in the end contributes to the general success of each the shopper and the group. Recognizing and actively pursuing strategic alignment is thus important for any shopper success associate in search of to maximise their influence and obtain lasting outcomes.
6. Drawback Fixing
Drawback fixing is intrinsically linked to the perform of shopper success companions. These professionals act as essential sources for addressing shopper challenges, guaranteeing that shoppers understand the utmost worth from the services or products supplied. Efficient problem-solving capabilities are important for sustaining shopper satisfaction, fostering long-term relationships, and driving general enterprise success.
-
Figuring out and Diagnosing Points
The preliminary step in drawback fixing entails precisely figuring out and diagnosing the basis explanation for shopper points. This requires lively listening, empathy, and the flexibility to ask probing questions to assemble related data. For instance, a shopper success associate might encounter a shopper experiencing decreased utilization of a software program platform. By way of cautious questioning and knowledge evaluation, the associate may uncover that the difficulty stems from a scarcity of coaching on a brand new function, relatively than dissatisfaction with the platform itself. This correct analysis is essential for implementing the right answer.
-
Growing and Implementing Options
As soon as the difficulty is recognized, the shopper success associate should develop and implement efficient options. This usually entails collaborating with inner groups, comparable to technical assist or product growth, to seek out the perfect plan of action. A sensible instance could be a shopper encountering technical difficulties with a cloud-based service. The shopper success associate would work intently with the technical crew to troubleshoot the difficulty, present well timed updates to the shopper, and make sure that the issue is resolved rapidly and effectively. The flexibility to coordinate these efforts and guarantee a seamless decision is important.
-
Stopping Future Points
Efficient drawback fixing extends past merely addressing instant issues; it additionally entails proactively figuring out and stopping future points. This proactive strategy might embody offering extra coaching, sharing greatest practices, or recommending product enhancements. For example, a shopper success associate might discover a recurring difficulty amongst a number of shoppers associated to a selected function. They could then work with the product growth crew to enhance the function’s usability, thereby stopping related points from arising sooner or later. This preventative measure demonstrates a dedication to long-term shopper success and reduces the burden on assist sources.
-
Speaking Successfully
All through the problem-solving course of, clear and concise communication is important. The shopper success associate should maintain the shopper knowledgeable of progress, clarify technical particulars in a non-technical method, and set lifelike expectations. For instance, if a shopper is experiencing a posh difficulty that requires vital time to resolve, the shopper success associate ought to proactively talk the timeline, present common updates, and handle the shopper’s expectations. This clear communication builds belief and reinforces the worth of the shopper relationship.
These sides collectively spotlight the important position of drawback fixing throughout the shopper success associate framework. Addressing shopper challenges successfully, stopping future points, and sustaining open communication channels are all important for guaranteeing shopper satisfaction, fostering long-term relationships, and in the end driving organizational success. The flexibility to navigate advanced issues and ship well timed, efficient options is a defining attribute of a profitable shopper success associate.
7. Product Experience
A core part of the shopper success associate position is complete product experience. This proficiency immediately impacts the associate’s means to information shoppers successfully, troubleshoot points precisely, and unlock the total potential of the provided options. With no robust understanding of the product’s options, functionalities, and underlying expertise, a shopper success associate can’t adequately tackle shopper wants or present strategic suggestions. The absence of this experience diminishes the shopper’s return on funding and might result in dissatisfaction and attrition. For example, a shopper success associate working with a posh software program suite should possess in-depth data of every module, its integration capabilities, and its potential purposes to varied enterprise situations. Missing this understanding, the associate can be unable to help shoppers in optimizing their workflows or resolving technical challenges effectively. Thus product experience is a vital ingredient when think about what’s a shopper success associate.
The sensible significance of product experience extends past primary troubleshooting. It empowers the shopper success associate to proactively establish alternatives for shoppers to leverage the product to realize their particular enterprise objectives. This may contain recommending particular configurations, suggesting new options, or creating custom-made coaching packages. For instance, a shopper success associate working with a advertising automation platform shouldn’t solely perceive the platform’s functionalities but in addition possess a powerful grasp of promoting ideas and greatest practices. This permits the associate to advise shoppers on the way to optimize their campaigns, enhance lead era, and in the end drive income development. Equally the shopper success associate with product experience, may even perceive the way to successfully talk product updates and new function releases in method that resonates with shoppers and motivates them to undertake new capabilities.
In conclusion, product experience isn’t merely a fascinating talent however a basic requirement for shopper success companions. It allows them to offer efficient assist, drive worth realization, and foster long-term shopper relationships. Whereas creating and sustaining product experience requires ongoing coaching and energy, the advantages are plain. A shopper success associate with in-depth product data is healthier outfitted to deal with shopper challenges, establish alternatives for enchancment, and in the end contribute to the shopper’s success. Understanding its significance ought to be highlighted when outline what’s a shopper success associate. Addressing challenges to realize product experience comparable to frequent product updates or sophisticated applied sciences will end in robust shopper relationship and retention.
8. Shopper Advocacy
Shopper advocacy represents a important dimension of the position. It extends past mere buyer satisfaction to embody actively championing the shopper’s pursuits throughout the group. This advocacy is pivotal for guaranteeing that shopper wants aren’t solely met but in addition prioritized, contributing considerably to the shopper’s long-term success and the group’s repute.
-
Representing Shopper Wants Internally
A key duty entails conveying shopper suggestions, issues, and options to inner groups, comparable to product growth, advertising, and gross sales. This ensures that shopper views are thought of throughout decision-making processes. For instance, if a shopper often requests a selected function enhancement, the shopper success associate advocates for its inclusion in future product releases, offering compelling knowledge to assist the request.
-
Escalating Points Successfully
When shoppers encounter challenges, the shopper success associate acts as a liaison, escalating important points to the suitable personnel and guaranteeing well timed decision. This requires efficient communication and coordination expertise. For example, if a shopper experiences a service outage that considerably impacts their enterprise operations, the shopper success associate will escalate the difficulty to the technical assist crew and monitor the progress till an answer is applied.
-
Making certain a Shopper-Centric Method
Shopper advocacy entails selling a client-centric tradition throughout the group. This requires influencing inner processes and insurance policies to prioritize shopper satisfaction and success. For instance, a shopper success associate may advocate for a extra streamlined onboarding course of for brand spanking new shoppers or for extra versatile cost phrases for shoppers going through monetary difficulties. These actions mirror a dedication to placing the shopper first.
-
Constructing Lengthy-Time period Relationships
By actively advocating for shoppers, the shopper success associate fosters belief and strengthens long-term relationships. Shoppers usually tend to stay loyal after they really feel that their issues are heard and that their success is genuinely valued. For example, a shopper success associate may proactively attain out to a shopper to supply assist and steerage throughout a interval of organizational change, demonstrating a dedication to their long-term success.
These parts of shopper advocacy exhibit the integral position shopper success companions play in bridging the hole between the shopper and the group. By championing shopper pursuits, these professionals contribute to elevated shopper satisfaction, retention, and in the end, the group’s general success. This lively illustration additional solidifies their place as trusted advisors and very important contributors to the shopper’s journey.
9. Knowledge Evaluation
Knowledge evaluation is an indispensable part of the shopper success associate position, enabling knowledgeable decision-making and proactive shopper administration. The flexibility to interpret and leverage shopper knowledge is a core competency, influencing methods for engagement, assist, and worth supply. For instance, by analyzing shopper utilization patterns, a shopper success associate can establish shoppers who’re underutilizing key options of a services or products. This data-driven perception permits the associate to proactively provide focused coaching or assist, mitigating the chance of shopper dissatisfaction and churn. In impact, knowledge evaluation offers the empirical basis upon which efficient shopper success methods are constructed.
The appliance of knowledge evaluation extends past figuring out at-risk shoppers. It additionally facilitates the personalization of shopper interactions and the optimization of the general shopper expertise. By analyzing shopper suggestions, assist tickets, and engagement metrics, a shopper success associate can achieve a deeper understanding of shopper wants and preferences. This understanding can then be used to tailor communication, present custom-made options, and proactively tackle potential points. For example, a shopper success associate may analyze survey knowledge to establish widespread ache factors skilled by shoppers in a specific trade. This data can then be used to develop focused sources or companies that tackle these particular challenges, enhancing the shopper’s notion of worth and strengthening the connection. Knowledge pushed options improve shopper adoption and product engagement. The effectiveness of proactive companies, is measured by the insights gleaned, and in consequence utilized, from rigorous knowledge evaluation.
In conclusion, knowledge evaluation isn’t merely a supplementary talent however a basic requirement for shopper success companions. It empowers them to make knowledgeable choices, proactively handle shopper relationships, and drive worth realization. Whereas challenges related to knowledge privateness, safety, and interpretation exist, the advantages of leveraging knowledge evaluation for shopper success are plain. By embracing data-driven insights, shopper success companions can improve shopper satisfaction, cut back churn, and in the end contribute to the group’s general success. The flexibility to derive actionable insights from knowledge and translate them into tangible shopper outcomes is a defining attribute of a profitable shopper success associate, demonstrating its integration with knowledge evaluation.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
This part addresses widespread inquiries concerning the capabilities and tasks inherent within the shopper success associate position. These questions are designed to offer readability and a deeper understanding of this more and more very important place inside fashionable organizations.
Query 1: What distinguishes a shopper success associate from a standard account supervisor?
Whereas each roles concentrate on shopper relationships, the shopper success associate adopts a extra proactive and strategic strategy. The main focus extends past gross sales and account upkeep to actively guaranteeing the shopper achieves desired outcomes and maximizes the worth derived from the services or products. Account managers usually concentrate on upselling and renewals, whereas shopper success companions prioritize long-term shopper success and advocacy.
Query 2: How does a shopper success associate contribute to shopper retention?
Shopper retention is a major goal. Shopper success companions proactively have interaction with shoppers to establish potential challenges, present tailor-made assist, and guarantee they’re successfully using the services or products. This proactive strategy fosters shopper loyalty and reduces the probability of churn. The associate’s actions are a protection towards any shopper departures.
Query 3: What particular expertise are important for a shopper success associate?
Important expertise embody robust communication, problem-solving, relationship constructing, and knowledge evaluation skills. Product experience and a deep understanding of the shopper’s enterprise are additionally essential. The shopper success associate should even have robust smooth expertise.
Query 4: How is the success of a shopper success associate measured?
Efficiency metrics sometimes embody shopper retention charges, shopper satisfaction scores, product adoption charges, and the general worth derived by the shopper. Income development generated via shopper enlargement and advocacy may additionally be thought of.
Query 5: What’s the typical profession path for a shopper success associate?
People might progress to senior shopper success roles, crew management positions, or administration roles inside buyer success organizations. The expertise gained in shopper success can even result in alternatives in product administration, gross sales, or advertising.
Query 6: How does a shopper success associate contribute to product growth?
By gathering and analyzing shopper suggestions, the shopper success associate offers worthwhile insights to the product growth crew. This suggestions helps inform product roadmap choices and ensures that future product enhancements align with shopper wants and market calls for. The shopper’s voice is delivered via that shopper success associate.
These FAQs provide a concise overview of the position. The shopper success associate capabilities strategically to offer proactive worth, driving shopper retention and long-term success for each the shopper and the group.
The next part will discover the technological instruments and programs generally utilized by shopper success companions to boost their effectiveness and effectivity.
Strategic Suggestions for Shopper Success Companions
The next offers particular suggestions designed to optimize the efficiency of people on this important perform. Adherence to those tips can demonstrably enhance shopper outcomes and improve general organizational success.
Tip 1: Prioritize Proactive Communication: Keep away from relying solely on reactive responses. Set up common communication schedules with shoppers, offering updates, sharing greatest practices, and proactively addressing potential points earlier than they escalate. For instance, schedule month-to-month enterprise evaluations to debate shopper progress and establish alternatives for enchancment.
Tip 2: Domesticate Deep Product Experience: Preserve an in-depth understanding of the services or products. Take part in ongoing coaching, discover new options, and perceive how the product solves particular shopper challenges. Product proficiency allows tailor-made suggestions and efficient drawback decision.
Tip 3: Section Shoppers Strategically: Tailor engagement methods based mostly on shopper measurement, trade, and particular enterprise wants. Keep away from a one-size-fits-all strategy. Customization maximizes the worth delivered to every shopper section.
Tip 4: Make the most of Knowledge-Pushed Insights: Leverage knowledge analytics to establish traits, anticipate shopper wants, and measure the effectiveness of shopper success initiatives. Use knowledge to tell decision-making and optimize shopper engagement methods.
Tip 5: Foster Sturdy Inside Collaboration: Preserve open communication with inner groups, comparable to gross sales, advertising, and product growth. This collaboration ensures that shopper suggestions is included into product growth and that shopper wants are met successfully throughout the group.
Tip 6: Doc Shopper Interactions Totally: Preserve detailed information of all shopper interactions, together with communication logs, assembly notes, and motion objects. This documentation offers worthwhile context and ensures that each one crew members are aligned on shopper wants.
These suggestions, when diligently applied, contribute considerably to enhanced shopper satisfaction, improved retention charges, and elevated income era. Every tip promotes a complicated method inside this area.
The article will conclude with a recap of the core components that defines what’s a shopper success associate, providing a closing perspective on this important enterprise perform.
What’s a Shopper Success Companion
This exploration has demonstrated that what’s a shopper success associate is way over only a customer support position. It’s a strategic perform targeted on proactive engagement, worth maximization, and long-term shopper retention. The position necessitates a mixture of technical experience, interpersonal expertise, and analytical capabilities to make sure shoppers derive most profit from an organizations choices. Efficient shopper success partnerships hinge upon strategic alignment, constant communication, and a relentless dedication to shopper advocacy.
As companies more and more acknowledge the significance of buyer lifetime worth, the position of what’s a shopper success associate will proceed to evolve and develop in significance. Organizations that prioritize this perform and put money into creating expert shopper success professionals might be greatest positioned to foster shopper loyalty, drive income development, and obtain sustainable success in aggressive markets. The continuing emphasis on client-centricity necessitates a strategic perspective concerning shopper engagement.