Department Stores' Cross-Channel Experience, 2008

As part of a larger analysis of 16 firms, Forrester evaluated the cross-channel experiences of four large US department stores — JCPenney, Kohl's, Macy's, and Sears. As an industry, the department stores received average scores compared with other industries, but overall, they still delivered poor experiences — with JCPenney ranking far below the other department stores. While each firm suffered from a variety of problems, our analysis also uncovered a number of good practices, such as Kohl's contextual help on the Web, Sears' helpful phone agents, and Macy's easy transition from interactive voice response (IVR) to phone. To improve multichannel experiences, customer experience execs at department stores should conduct regular reviews of their own channels, focus on the specific needs of target users, and establish voice of the customer programs.