Amongst the many powerful tools enabling associates to connect with customers in effective ways outside of the physical store, the web widget is paramount.
The web widget allows customers to connect to stores closest to them and ask for assistance in multiple ways:
See also: Customer Requests
These request types allow customers to connect with not just any associate, but with people in their local market who understand their specific needs.
So how does this all work? Simply put, Geolocation. We are all connected to the internet through our devices. Each internet connection has a unique ID, called an "IP". The IP helps applications and website systems understand where you are so that they can provide you with the version of themselves that is relevant to your location.
An example would be:
You live in New York City and are connected to your Wifi network at home. You visit the retailer's website on your laptop or mobile device and see this widget pop up on the side shortly after the page loads. The widget would show you the store closest to where your IP address is registered to (in this case, your home).
Now that you know how geolocation works, you can let your neighbors and friends in the area know that they can reach you anytime through the widget!