November 11, 2024
Bridging Online and In-Store: How Riviera Maison Transformed the Hyper-Connected Consumer Experience by Replacing Salesforce with Insider
Riviera Maison recently took centre stage at the Shopping Today event, sharing insights into their ambitious transformation journey to create seamless, hyper-connected experiences across their online and in-store channels. In a conversation led by Elisabeth Hovius, Head of E-commerce at Riviera Maison, and Michael Uenk, Commercial Director BLX at Insider, the discussion highlighted the brand’s decision to move away from Salesforce and embrace Insider’s technology as their core customer engagement platform. This pivotal change was driven by a commitment to a more integrated, omnichannel approach to customer experience.
As consumers increasingly navigate digital spaces, the pressure for brands to merge online and offline experiences has become undeniable. For Riviera Maison, a premium home decor retailer with an emphasis on luxurious and unique products, it was essential to deliver a shopping experience as seamless as the products they sell. Their goal: to create a shopping journey that feels unified, no matter where the customer engages with the brand.
“We wanted to go beyond conventional customer relationship management (CRM) solutions,” Elisabeth explained. “Our vision was to adopt a tool that could respond to customer behavior across all touchpoints, offering personalization and automated marketing solutions that Salesforce couldn’t support in the same way.”
The shift from Salesforce to Insider wasn’t just about finding a new platform; it was about selecting a partner that could genuinely transform Riviera Maison’s customer experience strategy. Salesforce had long been a stronghold in CRM for many businesses, but as Elisabeth noted, its limitations became more apparent as Riviera Maison’s aspirations grew. They needed a platform that could truly unify data, predict customer behavior, and automate personalized journeys across digital and physical channels—an area where Insider excelled.
Insider’s platform offered a comprehensive suite of marketing automation tools, enabling Riviera Maison to create campaigns that span email, SMS, mobile, and in-store touchpoints. By centralising its marketing efforts within Insider, Riviera Maison gained more agile, data-driven solutions that quickly responded to customer needs.
At the heart of this transformation was the goal of creating a single, unified experience across all channels. Insider’s omnichannel capabilities proved crucial, especially for a brand like Riviera Maison, which values both the physical in-store experience and the convenience of online shopping.
With Insider, Riviera Maison can now deliver consistent, personalised messages to customers, whether they’re browsing the website, engaging with an email campaign, or visiting a physical location. This bridge between online and offline is central to the brand’s identity and allows customers to feel recognised and valued at every step.
“Today’s consumers expect a cohesive experience that feels relevant to them, no matter the channel,” said Elisabeth. “Insider has enabled us to create that by connecting our in-store experience with what’s happening online in real-time.”
Insider’s advanced marketing automation capabilities have allowed Riviera Maison to manage the customer journey with unprecedented precision. Whether through automated abandoned cart reminders or tailored product recommendations based on previous in-store interactions, Riviera Maison now has the tools to drive loyalty through personalization.
Michael Uenk emphasised that Insider’s platform is built for brands looking to move beyond basic CRM, catering instead to the evolving needs of digital-first consumers who expect brands to understand them deeply. “The future of customer engagement lies in predictive and proactive interactions,” he shared. “With Insider, Riviera Maison has the ability to anticipate what each customer wants and deliver that across all channels.”
While this transformation has already yielded impressive results, Riviera Maison sees this as just the beginning of a longer journey with Insider. By replacing Salesforce, they’ve found a partner that aligns with their ambitions and has the technological power to grow alongside them as consumer expectations continue to rise.
With omnichannel strategies, marketing automation, and personalised experiences at the forefront, Riviera Maison is poised to lead in creating a truly unified customer experience. As Elisabeth put it, “Our partnership with Insider is a significant step in shaping how we engage with our customers—not just today but well into the future.”
Riviera Maison’s transformation illustrates the potential for brands to not only keep pace with the digital age but to set the standard for what a seamless, integrated shopping experience should look like. For retailers across the UK and beyond, this is a masterclass in rethinking how to connect with customers in a way that’s relevant, personal, and—most importantly—effective.
This blog article is based on insights shared at a workshop by Insider and Riviera Maison during Shopping Today on October 10, 2024.
