According to a new survey from enterprise software company Jumpmind, 36% of retailers say meeting the demands of hyper-informed customers represents one of the top threats to their business. 99% retailers surveyed said it’s important that store associates can provide product knowledge that surpasses the customer’s own research. Shoppers expect seamless transitions between online browsing and in-store purchasing, and currently, only some retailers believe they are meeting their customers’ needs. 57% retailers say they’re only “okay” at connecting store associates with consumers’ online shopping data, noting that they have “some but not all” information integrated across channels. According to Jumpmind’s survey, store associates are “bogged down” by tasks that prevent them from prioritizing customer engagement. 45% of retailers surveyed say that store employees spend too much time trying to find answers to customer service questions, while 42% say that associates spend too much time on technology support and maintenance. 38% say that administrative tasks are a major time drain for their employees. Retailers noted that critical retail functions such as shipping products from stores (26%), inventory management (24%), and shelf restocking (18%) aren’t getting enough time and attention. 32% of consumers surveyed by Jumpmind say their favorite retailer provides easy access to customer service when they have a problem, which the company says can lead to shoppers switching to a competitor.