Footwear retailer Charles Clinkard is teaming up with a fellow North East business to use AI technology to improve parts of its operations.
The Middlesbrough firm, which has more than 30 stores nationwide and a growing online presence, is working with Pulse, an AI-powered review intelligence platform co-founded by former Visualsoft CEO Dean Benson.
Though it dates back to 1924 and is still led by the Clinkard family, the retailer says it is “committed to innovation” and hopes the link-up with Pulse can improve its online visibility, as well as improving insights into what its customers want.
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The company will work with Pulse to monitor and improve its overall review performance.
The platform provides sentiment analysis, instant notifications and allows its stores to reply to reviews quickly and centrally.
It will also use one of Pulse’s tools to calculate the exact number of five star reviews needed to increase a business’ Google rating.
The platform also manages location data like opening hours, ensuring Charles Clinkard’s listing is accurate and up-to-date.
Rachel Clinkard, eCommerce director at Charles Clinkard, said: “We’ve always taken customer feedback seriously and partnering with Pulse is a natural next step for us.
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“Their technology lets us understand and respond to reviews faster and more intelligently than ever before. It also gives us the ability to track performance across all our stores, which is key for maintaining our high service standards.”
Using AI and machine learning, Pulse brings together a company’s Google Reviews into an easy-to-manage platform.
“It benchmarks performance across locations or against others in the industry, allowing better insight and more informed decisions.”
Co-founder and CEO Kiya Phillips said: “Working with a company like Charles Clinkard is a big moment for us. They care deeply about customer service and reputation, which aligns perfectly with what Pulse delivers.
“It’s exciting to support a business that’s been trusted for over 100 years and now trusts us to help power their future.”