Levi Strauss Uses Google Business Messages to Improve Customer Experience

Classic jeans brand Levi Strauss & Co. announced it is using Google (News - Alert) Business Messages to enhance its customer experience strategy. The company decided that the ability to offer customer 24/7 information in an easily accessible way would boost interest and engagement and have long-term impacts on purchasing behavior.

Levi's had already partnered with Linc Global, a customer experience automation provider, in June of 2020. Linc enabled the company to integrate Google Business Messages into its existing cross-channel chat experiences.

The brand discovered that its customers have been spending more time researching purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with spending less time in its physical stores. The purchasing pattern changes led to a 30-percent increase in off-hours shoppers, necessitating an easy way to provide customers with 24/7 information and interaction.

Google Business Messages offer a mobile conversational channel that combines app- and call-based entry points using Google Maps, Search and brand websites. The solution enables Levi's to connect with customers without the need for them to visit its website, make a phone call or physically enter a store.

“Rolling out customer experience automation on web chat provided a new way for customers to find answers to their pre-purchase and other questions that regularly resulted in a call to customer service,” said Anisa Kumar, VP global DTC, Levi Strauss & Co. “Launching with Google’s Business Messages was the logical next step in providing our customers with a best-in-class customer experience.”

Working with Linc Global, Levi's set up Google Business Messages on Google Maps. The company began with five stores and was eventually able to expand the offering to more than 200 stores.

The result was an increase in customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores to more than 85 percent. The offering has handled 30 times more store-related questions than Levi's proprietary onsite web chat solution. The company also says 31 percent of its Business Messages conversations are related to products, which means those shoppers prefer targeted customer engagement rather than unstructured browsing.

Levi's has also incorporated Business Messages on Google Search, enabling better engagement that synchronizes with its regular web chat channel. Customers may interact with the brand on Google and then visit the company's website or a store to complete a purchase recommended through the Messages solution.

Additional retailers that have recently beefed up their omnichannel customer interaction and experiences using Google Business Messages include H&M and David's Bridal.

Edited by Luke Bellos