Macy’s SVP Says Winning Back Customers Brand’s Top Priority

For Macy’s Senior Vice President, Customer Journey, Bennett Fox-Glassman, personalization boils down to two things.

“Customers don’t come up and ask for personalization,” Fox-Glassman said at The Lead Summit in New York City. “They’re asking for relevance, know me better. Personalization, to me, is context and relevance.”

During his presentation, “Personalizing Customer Interactions from Awareness to Loyalty,” Fox-Glassman outlined three main personalization goals:

Macy’s revamped customer experience by focusing on hyper-personalized and connected journeys.

Using customer data to personalize product recommendations, emails, SMS messages, and app experiences.

Personalizing online ads to elevate customer engagement.

Macy’s, which announced Monday (July 15) its board of directors unanimously terminated discussions with Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management, which sought to acquire the venerable retailer, is focusing on five specific methods of personalization in 2024:

Help customers find complementary items.

Explore new categories.

Shop seamlessly across channels.

Drive repeat purchases.

Reconnect with customers who haven’t engaged in a long time. This creates a more relevant and consistent experience for all Macy’s shoppers.

Macy’s omnichannel reach and diverse product mix (apparel, beauty, home) fuel its personalization efforts, while its Star Rewards loyalty program allows for highly targeted recommendations and inspiration.

It’s in the Experience

To do personalization well, Fox-Glassman noted, “is incredibly cross-functional and includes marketing, customers, digital and brand experience across multiple touchpoints. “When we talk about personalization, we talk about a digital experience,” he added.

Fox-Glassman said, “one of the best things we do to personalize for our customers” involves leveraging Macy’s 70,000 colleagues working across the country.

“That is a deep and powerful form of personalization if we can replicate genuine, authentic interactions like, ‘How was your daughter’s quinceañera?’” he explained.

Creating an Authentic Relationship

Fox-Glassman touted granular customer segmentation, rather than one-to-one personalization.

“We’re interested in balancing,” Fox-Glassman explained. “It’s an evolving area of technology. If you are authentic in your relationships with customers, and admit a mistake, it actually makes the relationship more authentic. At Macy’s we focus on customer lifetime value. That’s the math that says I have a deeper, stronger relationship with you.”

Providing customers with context and relevance is the key to personalization success, Fox-Glassman noted.

“The customer journey is not a straight line,” he explained. “What we’re trying to do as a brand when we have the conversation with you is always what the context is. What’s the last thing you said to them and what’s the next thing you want to say to them? Getting that next interaction right is an extremely important use case.”

Fox-Glassman said the main goal at Macy’s is strengthening and nurturing customer relationships, both in-store and online. Company officials strive to use technology to contextualize every conversation it has with a customer, so it can provide the best possible communication at each touchpoint and earn customer loyalty.

Earned Loyalty

While Macy’s tests generative AI to streamline email creation, it prioritizes brand consistency to ensure its messaging aligns with the company’s voice. It’s clear that consumers want to receive personalized offers from their favorite brands.

According to a PYMNTS Intelligence study, “Personalized Offers Are Powerful – But Too Often Off-Base,” 83% of surveyed consumers (71% who received them and 12% who didn’t) expressed interest in personalized offers.

Combined digital and physical interactions deepen customer relationships, Fox-Glassman said. “They drive awareness, what will inspire you, and how do we cement your perception of value,” he added. “Stay focused on that interaction you’re trying to create.”

Looking ahead, Macy’s wants a unified customer experience. This comprises seamless experiences across all touchpoints, whether it’s email, in-store visits, the app or online ads. Investing in connected channels is another key goal, because Macy’s believes connecting different channels will enhance the customer experience, and it’s seeing positive results from early efforts. Also, Macy’s plans to incorporate more personalization into sales and promotions.