The WhatsApp facility will not only operate as an additional communication channel, but has been set up (and manned) within each of the 225 stores nationwide, to conduct new and used good sales, as well as negotiate the buying or pawning of an item with a customer before they even enter the store.
The company says in a statement that it recognised that one of the leading global Covid-19 trends in business recovery and future growth is centred around tech. Companies that have used this time to implement and roll out tech – either as a first step, or to significantly improve business operations or customer interaction, will be those that separate themselves in a world of panicked retail recovery.
“We’ve used the past few months as an opportunity to interrogate the processes we follow as a business and to challenge ourselves on ways we can do business differently by embracing tech that will continue to deliver the Cash Crusaders experience, virtually,” says Sean Stegmann, CEO of Cash Crusaders.
Buying - customers who want to buy a product they see online can now contact their store via WhatsApp (chat, call or video call). An in-store expert will demo the product if needed and if the customer is happy, they can complete the transaction quickly and efficiently when visiting the store.
Selling or pawning - WhatsApp allows the customer to show his/her product to the store buyer, who is skilled across a multitude of industries, to get the best possible purchase/loan price on that item. If the item passes the in-store testing when the customer visits the store, Cash Crusaders will complete the transaction there and then.
The WhatsApp service can also be used for selling and collecting of items from home. Customers who would like to make cash from their cleanout on items like laptops, cell phones, appliances or even furniture, will get an appropriate offer from the store. If the customer accepts the offer, the store will collect the item from the customer’s home. (Stores that are able to purchase furniture are size-dependent.)
For customers to get in touch with their local store, they will need to log onto the Cash Crusader’s Store Locator, find their closest store, click on the ‘Talk to us on WhatsApp’ link.
