:: PERSONAL VIRTUAL MALLMaybe I'm an increasingly grumpy person or maybe it's because I've worked in service industries a lot in the past, but I can't stand bad customer service. I reckon it comes down to two things most often: individual workers simply not having the right attitude for the job and companies not knowing what changes they need to make to improve service. Both problems can frequently be solved by the customer letting the company know what the issue is, but how easy is that to actually do? Hopefully iSuggest will make things much, much simpler.
Using GPS functionality, users can see a list of nearby businesses so it's easy to select the relevant store. There's also a historical element to things enabling the user to browse for nearby stores, such as a store that was visited in the past. Anonymous feedback means that the user can speak freely without any worries of reprisal, but with the hope that changes will be implemented.
Despite the anonymous nature, users can still view the progress of the suggestion as it gets delivered, read and (hopefully) responded to along with any follow up messages from the business involved or the complainant. Businesses can even supply coupons or special offers through the interface.
How successful iSuggest becomes does depend on the businesses themselves but considering most businesses enjoy making a profit and keeping their customers happy, this has the potential to be hugely successful. Hopefully in time it will spread to other countries. For now, iSuggest is available for free for all US App Store users.
Is there anything that Google doesn't do? It appears not. It's even come along and revitalized the catalog market now with the iPad app Google Catalogs.
The app offers a variety of different catalogs, much like the web based version of Google Catalogs that was was discontinued in 2009. Numerous top brands are on offer, such as Antrhopologie, Bare Escentuals, Bergdorf, Goodman, Crate and Barrel, L.L. Bean, Lands' End, Macy's, Neirman Marcus, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Sundance, Tea Collection, Urban Outfitters and Williams-Sonoma, as well as others that I'm far too uncool/British to know about. It comes to over 100 in all.
The app is simple to use with the ability to zoom in to see products up close, find products in nearby stores and view photo albums and videos. Viewing items according to price is simple enough also. Users can then create their own collages of favorite collections of products and they can get instant access to new catalogs through the app as soon as they become available. Purchasing is similarly easy with a single tap taking users to a merchant's website or information about the nearest store.
Most intriguing of all is that this app has come to the iPad before Android devices. While we're not ones to encourage rivalry between the formats, it is a curious development. Presuambly an Android version will follow in the future.
Either way, Google Catalogs is out now for the iPad and it's a free app.
RadioShack is a chain of electronics retail stores, and as of 2008, it had 4,653 company-owned stores, 688 kiosks, 8 service centers, and 1,408 dealer outlets. RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 Billion.
