BoConcept: The point of sale that will shape the future
On February 11 in Berkeley, California, the point of sale of the future may have been inaugurated. And all with a certain discretion. High-end furniture distributor BoConcept was opening its fifth franchise in the state of former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It must be said that there are more than 260 in around sixty countries. Which makes it the undisputed number one in its category. A true flagship of the Danish economy. But the franchise opened in Berkeley is quite innovative.
This is the franchise’s first digital experience store. The fifth similar location in the world. Immediate access to all the necessary information, dialogue with expert designers … The Danish are offering a new point of sale experience, which has not happened for some time. Zoom on this decidedly very innovative Nordic company and its new point of sale which is just as much.
A point of sale and a digital experience in one place
Together with global consumer engagement agency The Marketing Store and digital in-store experience developers Ombori, BoConcept has developed a new retail experience. The goal ? Provide customers with the best of both online and face-to-face shopping experiences. On the one hand, they have the opportunity to see the products in real life while being guided by an on-site salesperson. On the other hand, they have access to all the digital resources they need. In bulk: studies from around the world, consultations with expert interior designers but also interactive quizzes. Questionnaires allowing them to find articles that correspond to their style preferences. Finally, customers have the opportunity to view a range of products much larger than the stock in the store.
Technology at the service of customer experience
For Søren and Caroline Krogh-Jensen, managers of this new generation store, the success of the latter will only depend on a constant attention to the customer experience. “Every successful store puts people first,” says Søren. “No matter where you are in the globe, with retail you must be dedicated to providing the best possible experience for every customer who walks into your store.” He insists that it is only with this in mind that all this digital technology has been deployed. In short, mix online and face-to-face experiences to create that of the future. An innovative premise, but not so surprising if one is interested in the history of this iconoclastic Danish society.
BoConcept, or beauty by optimizing human experience
BoConcept was originally the idea of 2 Danish cabinetmakers, Jens Ærthøj and Tage Mølholm, who founded the company in 1952. The credo? High-end but also functional furniture. This is why around 80-90% of models are adaptable in terms of size, color, materials or components. But what perhaps characterizes Danish society the most are its values. Values that it has retained throughout its meteoric rise which will lead it to establish itself on 6 continents. They are brought together around “The BoConcept” and are intended to optimize the experience of its customers and employees as much as possible. Caring for the former amounts to positioning yourself as a unique brand. Caring for the second consists of making the bet to put them in the best conditions so that they perform at their best.
The furniture industry, on the front line of the COVID crisis, is constantly reinventing itself. And it’s not consumers, who are constantly being offered new experiences, who will complain.