An audit of Sephora's current system

INTRODUCTION

Today, customers expect quick and helpful support when they shop online. If they don't get it, they’ll shop somewhere else.

We looked at Sephora UK's website to see how their customer support works and how it can be improved. We found some issues and will show how Zowie's AI Agent can help fix them.

WHAT WE DID

We acted like a customer trying to buy a perfume on Sephora’s UK website. We wanted to see how easy it was to get help when needed.

Visiting the Home Page

We started on Sephora UK's main page, ready to shop for makeup products.

Browsing the makeup category

We went to the makeup section to look at different options.

Adding an item to the Cart

We chose an item that we liked and added it to our shopping cart.

Confusion about VAT Charges

We saw a message in the cart that Sephora collects VAT (tax) on orders below £150, with a link for more information. We wanted to understand if this would increase the cost of our order.

Trying to get more information

We clicked the link, but it took us to a page that didn't exist. This was frustrating. We decided to contact customer support for help.

Finding the Contact Us page

We clicked on "Contact Us" and had to go through several steps before we could chat with someone.

Chat widget finally appears

Choosing the contact us option and finally we can see contact us page with the chat option

Using the "Sally" helpdesk powered by Zendesk

We reached the chat widget named Sally. However, it only had preset questions we could click on. We couldn't type our own question about the VAT charges.

Trying to find ways to answer our question

In the current helpdesk option, we only have a prebuilt workflow that we can follow. Let's find out more about the Sephora loyalty program (not what we wanted, but I did not find my question as an option)

Following a pre-built program

We are following a prebuilt program; the reply speed is good, not more than 3 seconds. We found the link to the loyalty program and wanted to find out about the additional VAT collection, but the chat ended. Also, on the screenshot, we can see, I said hey and wanted to start a new chat, but Sally did not understand that and gave us an AI-generated reply. Seems strange, I guess in todays era AI easily understand the text input, but it is ok, we can talk to an agent, as I wanted to find a present and need help with that.

Trying to Talk to a Real Person

We tried typing "Hey" to start a new chat, but the helpdesk didn't understand and ended the conversation. We then asked for product recommendations to see if we could get more help.

Waiting for a response

After providing our details, we waited over 10 minutes for a response. The helpdesk told us that transferring us to the beauty department could take up to 48 hours. This was too long to wait for a simple question.

VAT and product recommendation ticket resolution

In more than 5 hours we have received an information about VAT collection and we have been transferred to the beauty department where we were offered to come to the closest Sephora point to get the recommendation

VAT and product recommendation ticket resolution

WHAT WE FOUND

Our experience showed several problems with Sephora's customer support

No chat option on important pages

PROBLEM

There is no chat support on the main pages, category pages, or product pages—only on the "Contact Us" page.

Why It's Bad

Customers might have questions at any time. If they can't easily get help, they might leave without buying.

Solution

Add chat support to all pages so customers can get help whenever needed.

Slow responses and lack of personal support

PROBLEM

It can take up to 48 hours to get a response. The helpdesk doesn't understand when we type messages.

Why It's Bad

Customers get frustrated when they have to wait, and they might lose trust in the brand.

Solution

Use an AI Agent to answer questions immediately and understand what customers type.

Hard to contact support

PROBLEM

Clicking links sometimes leads to pages that don't exist. Getting to the chat requires many clicks.

Why It's Bad

Customers might give up if it's too hard to get help.

Solution

Make sure all links work and make it easy to contact support.

Limited helpdesk functionality

PROBLEM

The helpdesk only offers preset questions and can't handle unique customer questions.

Why It's Bad

Customers can't get answers to specific questions, leading to frustration.

Solution

Implement an AI Agent that can handle a wide range of questions and understand natural language.

No 24/7 support

PROBLEM

In the US, chat support isn't available at night.

Why It's Bad

Customers shopping at night can't get help, which might cause lost sales.

Solution

Use an AI Agent that provides support at all hours.

Missed opportunities for automation

PROBLEM

Simple questions need human help or aren't answered at all.

Why It's Bad

Increases support costs and wastes time.

Solution

Automate common questions with an AI Agent to save money and improve customer satisfaction.

Why these issues matter?

Customers expect quick help

People want answers fast. If they can't get help quickly, they might shop somewhere else. Providing instant support keeps customers happy and more likely to buy.