BDS Marketing - Innovation of the Year

Company: BDS Marketing, Inc., Irvine, CA
Company Description: BDSmktg is your trusted retail marketing partner. With over 30 years of experience, we are experts at powering sales for the world’s top brands. BDS offers clients three integrated core solutions that drive brand demand and sell-through: Brand Advocacy, Retail Readiness, and Retail Environments. Founded in 1984, BDS is headquartered in Irvine, CA with a regional office in Heath, OH.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Innovation of the Year - Business Service Industries

Nomination Title: BDS’ Tap-a-Tech Solution Evolves the Customer Connection to Drive Sales ROI in a Post-Pandemic World

BDS Marketing, LLC.: Your Connected Commerce Powerhouse

With 37 years of experience, BDS is an award-winning sales and marketing solutions provider that powers world-class brands and retailers with a connected mix of digital, e-commerce, virtual, experiential, advocacy, display management, merchandising, and retail solutions that bring simplicity to an often disrupted and paralyzing buying journey. In 1984, BDS was founded as a field marketing agency by three partners whose vision was to provide an excellent working environment for employees. They believed that by putting employees first, they would in turn take great care of their clients. Since then, BDS has grown to offer a robust and diversified set of digital-first, people-led solutions that engage customers on their own terms – wherever, whenever, however – in personalized, meaningful ways. Driven by their values of Agility, Authenticity, and Achievement, BDS’ specialized teams work towards the company’s mission to spread brand enthusiasm, connect people and products, and simplify the sale. BDS is headquartered in Irvine, California with regional offices in Chicago, Illinois; New York City, New York; and Columbus, Ohio. BDS Marketing, LLC. is a division of BDS Solutions Group, LLC.

With limits on in-person interactions during COVID-19 lockdowns, BDS pivoted its Brand Advocacy services in order to re-visit the shopping experience with a physically distanced lens, accelerating its digital transformation to meet the needs of today’s consumers.

The company put themselves in the shoes of the shopper to answer some important questions: 1) How do you bring the in-store experience to the customer? 2) How do you demo products if you can’t be there in person? 3) How do you close the sale if you can’t walk the customer to the register? 4) How can you humanize e-commerce?

Their answer: a video-first, click-to-connect solution called Tap-a-TechSM. Through a web-based experience, Tap-a-Tech allowed shoppers to overcome common online shopping obstacles, like choice paralysis and lack of product information, by connecting them with brand representatives over video and get personalized product demos and recommendations anytime, anywhere, just as if they were interacting in person.

The solution replicated the traditional shopping experience via video with a simple tap of a screen. Based on their digital and retail sales experience, BDS enabled online shoppers to connect with a live brand representative through a button on a product’s webpage, while directing shoppers in stores to use their mobile device to scan a QR code in the aisle for instant contactless assistance. Behind the scenes, BDS empowered brands to control the look and feel of the experience by stationing trained experts in a variety of settings: at home, in-store, or in a custom branded BrightShop.

BDS’ Tap-a-Tech Solution Is the Industry Leader in Experience and Results

When compared to similar solutions in the industry, BDS’ Tap-a-Tech user experience is far superior. With its quick accessibility, ease of use, great video quality, immersive environments and helpful interactions with highly trained Tap-a-Tech experts, customers noted the following feedback in their post-experience satisfaction surveys:
- “This was amazing! Definitely sealed the deal. I'm ordering right now.” – Anonymous Customer
-“What a great service! This was extremely helpful in making a decision as to which unit to purchase. Thanks!” – Anonymous Customer
-“Both times I used it, it was clear, and we were able to communicate easily. Both employees were excellent!” – Anonymous Customer
-“FANTASTIC SERVICE WOW!! LOVE THIS OPTION!” – Anonymous Customer

By utilizing the Tap-a-Tech solution, BDS’ clients saw the following results on average:
- Up to 42% Tap-a-Tech Average Sales Conversion Rate
- Up to 33% Accessory Attach
- 4.87/5 Call Experience Feedback

You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):

The following references support the claims made in this nomination:

About BDSmktg: https://www.bdsmktg.com/

Meet Tap-a-Tech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc9nqYvFvP0

Tap-a-Tech Press Release: https://www.bdsmktg.com/press-release/bds-launches-new-video-powered-click-to-connect-selling-solution-to-meet-changing-consumer-buying-behaviors/

Are Consumers Embracing Video-First, Click-to-Connect Solutions As Part Of The Buying Journey?: https://www.bdsmktg.com/are-consumers-embracing-video-first-click-to-connect-solutions-as-part-of-the-buying-journey/

Tap-a-Tech Deep Dive: PRESENTATION ATTACHED

De’Longhi Client Case Study: https://www.bdsmktg.com/case-studies/delonghi/

Client Spotlight with Graham Anderson from De’Longhi: https://youtu.be/0JF1kshrAoI

Oculus Tap-a-Tech Experience: https://youtu.be/GVZ7q4BZSf4