CX isn’t an area of a business – it IS business
Business is about buying things, selling things, and engaging with customers. CX is about providing experiences that make people want to engage with you, buy from you, and buy again.
In a business climate where two-thirds of companies compete based on their customer experience, the pressure is on to make sure your entire organization – from the C-suite down – doesn’t lose sight of what’s at the heart of your business: the customer.
Brands that focus on creating a seamless customer experience boost customer loyalty, trust, and the bottom line – the data doesn’t lie:
84% of companies that improve their CX see increased revenue and 79% report cost savings.
But how do you get there? How do you create CX that drives great results?
There are some common pitfalls that punch holes in what should be a seamless experience across sales, marketing, e-commerce, and customer service.
Successful companies avoid these mistakes by taking three key steps:
- Lead with a human touch, not technology
- Know the customer
- Deliver proactive customer service
Humanity: The tie that binds a seamless customer experience
When interested in learning about how digital transformation can drive business growth, one of the main points we discuss with clients is that technology simplifies workflow processes – but it shouldn’t feel like a generic or automated experience for their customers.
Automated CRM and other tools can provide your sales reps or customer service agents with quick access to customer and product information. But then soft skills come into play to provide solutions in real time.
With a complete, accurate view of the customer, sales reps and customer service agents can focus on delivering fast, convenient, personalized experiences instead of having to hunt through databases for information.
Live chat and self-service modules may assist customers with simple issues, but more complex situations might require a service agent to step in. With insights into a customer’s purchase and service history, agents can provide prompt, effective problem solving. Customers don’t have to figure out which department they need to speak to, or talk to several agents before getting answers.
Almost half (46%) of your customers will bolt if you don’t get it right. The good news is that around 86% of customers will not only stick around, but also are willing to pay more for a superior customer experience.
Breaking 360: It’s time to move beyond the 360-degree view of the customer
For decades, brands have chased the goal of creating a 360-degree view of the customer. It hasn't worked out so well, and now there’s a better, faster, more agile way to gain customer insight and improve CX.
CX: It’s personal
Brands with the best CX connect with customers on a personal level. They know what customers like and can offer something they need – sometimes before a customer even knows they need it.
Sales reps become trusted advisors, while e-commerce sites provide curated content and are easy to navigate. Relying on first-party customer data, marketing messages and offers hit the mark.
Creating these personalized, seamless experiences reinforce a customer’s decision to do business with your company – and drive loyalty.
Wharton professors Christian Terwiesch and Nicolaj Siggelkow refer to this strategy as providing a “response-to-desire” experience. This occurs when a customer has specific purchasing plans and wants the rest of the journey to be as easy as possible.
“A curated offering helps the customer understand all the available options and find the best option that would fulfill their particular, current need best,” they wrote.
For instance, if your customer purchased a book, you can offer information on other written works by the author. Or a company that sells printers can respond to an ink cartridge that’s running low with an automatic refill.
The key is to demonstrate that you understand what’s important to your customers in each moment.
How to personalize customer experience: A D2C road map
Learn how to personalize customer experience and see massive direct-to-consumer success. First-party customer data provides the insight brands need to deliver.
Get ahead of problems
An exceptional customer experience proactively offers how-to information, fixes, product status updates, renewals, and other services.
Gartner points out that as customer service organizations increase their digital footprint and launch new channels, the exploration into proactive customer service is on the rise.
However, their research found that only 13% of customers receive proactive customer service compared to around 87% of customers who have never received it.
Customer service organizations that reach out to customers benefit from reduced call volume and better CX, according to Gartner’s study. “Customers rate the experience much higher on all key metrics, indicating a real opportunity to boost retention and other loyalty outcomes,” researchers said.
By finding a balance between digital tools and personal assistance, providing customers with a personalized, seamless experience beyond the purchase, and providing proactive customer service that exceeds customers’ expectations, you can create meaningful connections that drive customer loyalty and robust business growth.
