We live in a world where convenience is the new loyalty. It’s time to change how brands communicate with their customers. The 2020 digital consumer will simply change brands if you are unable to deliver seamless access to your services in what I believe will be the decade of true customer-centricity. Loyalty is not a given, like trust it needs to be earned.
The hyperconnected world
People all over the world are inspired by the convenience global platforms like Uber, Booking.com, and Zappos deliver to their customers. Consumers, from young to old, have truly changed to being mobile citizens. They are hyper-connected and above all increasingly impatient.
Customer expectations have changed. Today’s consumers expect 24/7 availability of communication channels at any given moment in the customer journey. They prefer to communicate with companies at their own pace.
The Convenience Revolution.
Whether you’re trying to out-service a competitor or disrupt an entire industry, creating less friction and being more convenient for your customers should be your strategy. When you raise the convenience bar, you create the next level of amazing customer experience. And, when you do, your customers will reward you with their money, their loyalty, and referrals.
Convenience is the differentiating (and disrupting) factor. Customer’s demand for convenience will disrupt and even wipe out unresponsive industries, create new ones, and transform those that adapt quickly.
AI Bots/Virtual agents must work seamlessly with Human agents to bring in the convenience factor.
Key takeaways to improve your CX strategy.
Engrain CX in the company culture – Customer experience has to be in the DNA of the company, It’s not just a department but a philosophy to be embraced by everyone from the CEO to the most recently-hired or lowest-level position in the company.
Map the Customer Journey – Indulge yourself and your team in mapping every interaction a customer has with the company, from the start of doing business to the point of purchase and beyond.
- Touchpoints represent the various interactions a customer has across the spectrum, regardless of channel — digital, email, phone, or in-person.
- Impact points are factors that affect the touchpoint in one way or another and where companies should find ways to improve the interaction.
- Friction points are the “anti-convenience” interactions, such as keeping a customer on hold for an extended period.
- Breakpoints are those critical junctures where a customer is about to leave and the company has to take steps to retain him or her.
Admire companies that get it right – Ask what is it that you like most about them. What are they doing that makes you say wow? Are you doing those same things in your business? Minor tweaks are just as important as big changes and, sometimes, they are the best.
Ask everyone to step up – Every employee, regardless of position, should become aware of the role they play in the customer experience. Ideally, this is the most important stage which can make or break your CX journey. Every stakeholder’s input in the organization is crucial to map a flawless flow.
The above is applicable to your frontline team, the brand ambassadors, the sales agents, etc… who are at the forefront of Customer engagement and represents your brand, their input is vital and makes a big difference.
Provide training – Train your customer engagement teams. Companies aren’t purposefully providing bad service, they are not investing in the necessary resources to do it right, which is where training comes in. Training is so important and it has to be an ongoing process.
All of the above key factors and more can help enhance CX, and thus resulting in building brand reputation, increasing customer confidence, and loyalty,
“Providing excellent CX is the new marketing”
Messaging the new age Convenience.
Business messaging allows customers to connect with companies and brands on their own time, over their preferred devices, apps, and social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter Direct Messages, WeChat, and SMS, to name just a few. Unlike web chat, messaging is asynchronous, meaning customers interact when it’s convenient for them, starting and stopping as they need to fit their busy lives. Advances in rich media, bot automation, and data-driven personalization are providing even more opportunities to create more effective, engaging customer interactions. Rich messaging enables the use of pictures, gifs, and videos, improving customer care, support, and sales.
Why the Messaging Strategy is a win for everyone?
Messaging should be every CX leader’s top priority considering the convenience it brings to the customers to engage with their brands and to the service agents in terms of productivity and multitasking.
The more businesses provide messaging options for interaction, the more consumer expectations will change, further accelerating adoption across all sectors. Retail and e-commerce top the list of industries where customers expect to have the ability to engage with companies via messaging, with media and communications, and banking and financial services close behind. Interest is clearly very high, making this the perfect opportunity for companies to move traditional communications to messaging and reap the rewards.
Early adapter brands who have moved to messaging are realizing substantial benefits-improved satisfaction and loyalty, increased revenues, and reduced costs.
Conclusion
CX and Convenience go hand in hand, it is imperative to set the tone right. Today’s digital-savvy, mobile-first consumers are willing to try new contact points. Start by mapping your customer journey and experiment with new engagement options without unduly forcing them to less satisfying phone, email, or stand-alone bots.
Ask yourself what you can start doing today to make interacting with your brand more convenient for your customers and to be better than the average experience — to be consistent in the way you serve your customers and give them what they value most: Convenience.
Article by – Sabin Gomez
Development Manager | Contact Center Digital Solutions | Customer Experience Strategy.