R.M. Williams is synonymous with quality. A pair of boots is a pair for life. And to match its product reputation, the outback brand has created a customer experience to suit. 

When partnering with Salesforce to create a unique user experience (UX), RM Williams was looking to transform. It was about creating the first-hand brick and mortar experience that customers were used to and bringing it to the ecommerce space. But it would be a big task.

The journey of R.M. Williams

It wasn’t going to be easy for the brand, which was founded in 1932. Because of its legacy, it meant that there were years of systems and habits that needed to be changed. The customer service team alone had to move between more than 30 systems to manage calls and emails. This resulted in long wait times and frustrated customers. 

Salesforce came onboard to help R.M. Williams and the transformation. The partnership saw an alignment in values and shared passion for philanthropy and sustainability. 

“Partnering with Salesforce and adopting Customer 360 was the only way for us to put the customer at the centre and transform how we engage with them online, speak to them in-store, and support them though the customer service channels,” says RM Williams chief technology officer Nathan Alexander.

Personalisation

Personalising the service was at the very forefront of what R.M. Williams was wanting to achieve. The in-store experience had been something that the brand was known for and proud of, so bringing the experience online needed to emulate that. 

The first release came five months after the partnership. It was about creating the foundation for what transformative capabilities would follow. The following release integrated Service Cloud Voice into RM Williams CTI solution, which resulted in an immediate improvement in service. Customer calls were able to be both answered immediately and personalised. But the web experience was also following suit. The status of orders could now be accessed easily online, which meant a decrease of 42 percent in calls, allowing each call to be handled with more time and knowledge.

Each customer was also given their own personal journey, from browsing to purchase and receiving. They’re told where their purchase is at each step along the way, even when being customised to their preferences. 

This personalisation paid off for the brand as it saw a 35 percent reduction in subscribe rates now that the emails were personalised for each customer.

Connecting in-person and online

Part of the transformation was the rebuilding of R.M. Willliams’ old ecommerce site. Using Commerce Cloud’s Storefront Reference Architecture, the site saw a 42 percent increase in conversion as well as a 10.27 percent increase in average order value. This resulted in a 34 percent increase in overall revenue.

As RM Williams values its longevity of product, it needed the experience to match. This partnership between Salesforce and R.M. Williams was the much needed boost the boots needed.