Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 18.10.2024 
At ICI Paris XL, we are immensely proud and honoured to be shortlisted for three prestigious categories: Best Use of Personalization, B2C Website of the Year, and eCommerce Website of the Year. These nominations are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who have consistently strived to create a personalized, seamless, and customer-centric online experience. In this article, we want to share the journey and the strategic initiatives that led to these remarkable achievements.
Reimagining the Customer Experience
Over the past few years, we have focused heavily on improving our website’s user experience (UX) to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers. Understanding that the digital landscape is constantly evolving, we have reworked our website UX multiple times, drawing on market best practices and customer insights. This iterative process has been crucial in ensuring that our website not only meets the needs of our customers but also stays ahead of industry trends.
One of the key elements of our success has been the establishment of a robust testing pipeline. By leveraging tools that allow us to explore customer behaviour, we’ve been able to gain valuable insights into customer journey and identify pain points across our site. This data-driven approach has allowed us to make informed decisions and continuously refine our digital presence.
The “Fast Lane” Project: Redefining Efficiency
In the previous year, we recognized the need to accelerate our time to market for critical website improvements. To address this, we leveraged on a dedicated team of specialized developers, designers, and product managers focused on a comprehensive redesign project: The “Fast Lane” project. This initiative integrated findings from multivariate testing tools to ensure that every change was rooted in solid data and customer feedback.
The Fast Lane team’s first major achievement was the complete redesign of our checkout flow. Within just six months, we transformed the checkout process, making it more intuitive and user-friendly with a clearer and more essential UI. This redesign has significantly enhanced the customer experience, reducing friction during the purchase process and increasing conversion rates.
Bringing In-Store Experiences Online
At ICI Paris XL, we understand that our customers value the personalized service they receive in our stores. Therefore, one of our main goals has been to replicate that level of service online. To achieve this, we implemented several innovative features on our website.
- Live Calls from Stores: This tool allows online customers to directly contact our shop assistants via video calls for personalized support and expert advice. It bridges the gap between online and in-store experiences, ensuring that customers receive the same level of care and attention, regardless of how they choose to shop.
- Fragrance Finder: Finding the perfect fragrance can be challenging, especially online. Our Fragrance Finder tool helps customers discover new scents by matching their preferences with recommendations. Whether they’re searching for a fragrance similar to their current favourite or want to explore new options, this tool makes the process simple and enjoyable.
Building a Connected Community
Beyond offering a seamless shopping experience, we are committed to creating a sense of community among our customers, both online and offline.
We introduced a new review section which represent more than just a place for customers to share their opinions; it’s a hub for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Customers can create a beauty profile, add personal traits, and display these details next to their reviews. This helps other users find feedback from people with similar tastes and preferences. Additionally, the review section now includes features like pros and cons summaries, the ability to upload photos, and the option to like or dislike reviews. Verified purchase labels also add an extra layer of trust.
In addition to the review section, we’ve introduced an integrated order history feature that combines both online and in-store purchases. This ensures that customers can easily access all their past purchases in one place, and with the Buy Again button, reordering their favorite products is just a click away.
Our efforts to create a cohesive online and offline experience also extend to the redesign of the My Account section. We have made it easier for customers to access their loyalty cards, vouchers, and other important account features. By prioritizing UX in this redesign, we’ve ensured that our customers can quickly find what they need and make the most of their loyalty benefits.
Personalized Experiences Powered by Technology
At ICI Paris XL, personalization is at the heart of everything we do. We’ve invested in advanced technologies to deliver tailored experiences that resonate with each customer.
- Product Bundles on the Product Page: Leveraging AI, this feature offers cross-selling opportunities by suggesting product combinations that complement each other. Customers can easily find the perfect matches to complete their purchase and benefit from promotions on bundled products.
- Personalized Suggestions Carousels: By tracking customer behavior and preferences, we offer personalized product suggestions that meet their specific needs. This ensures that our customers always find the most relevant products, making their shopping experience more satisfying.
- Personalized Push Notifications: We’ve developed a system to unify customer touchpoints across various channels, providing personalized promotions and product suggestions at every stage of the customer journey. This approach helps us stay connected with our customers and offer them tailored experiences based on their preferences.
A Collaborative Approach to Innovation
Our success is not solely due to internal efforts; it also stems from our collaboration with eLab Tech, the technology department within our parent company, AS Watson Group. The expertise and support from eLab Tech have been instrumental in our ability to implement advanced personalization features and maintain a high standard of innovation.
eLab Tech has provided us with dedicated teams of product managers, product owners, and developers who work closely with us to execute in-house development for features that do not require third-party involvement. This collaborative approach has allowed us to maintain agility and deliver high-quality features that enhance the customer experience.
Looking Forward
Being shortlisted for the categories of Best Use of Personalization, B2C Website of the Year, and eCommerce Website of the Year is a great honour and a testament to the hard work of our team. In a highly competitive market where the offline experience plays a crucial role in purchasing decisions, we have chosen to differentiate ourselves by focusing on personalization and a seamless online experience that integrates with offline interactions. Our goal has always been to put the customer first, and these nominations confirm that we are on the right track.
We are excited about the future and look forward to continuing our journey of innovation and excellence. Whether we win or not, being recognized in these categories is a significant achievement, and we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of beauty eCommerce. Thank you for your acknowledgement, and we look forward to bringing you even more exciting news in the near future.
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