A few weeks ago, my family and I went to a famous island resort for a short vacation. What would have been a perfect experience for our family turned slightly sour as some of the staff were not friendly nor very helpful to the visitors. Despite the obvious appeal of the island, what made us feel to never return to that resort was the unpleasant customer experience that we went through.

 

Customer experience is how customers perceive brands through the strategies employed for the purpose of delivering optimal CX. Now, companies have realized the importance of customer experience. A study by SuperOffice found that 88% of businesses are now making it a priority at their contact centers. 

 

It is a loud statement which further highlights how customer experience can make or break businesses everywhere.

 

Leveraging Customer Experience with Data

 

Effective CX is similar to telling a good story – to spark emotions within your audience or customers, and make them come back wanting more. But to achieve that requires you to know your audience, because how else could you know what grabs their attention?

 

One way is to ask them directly. Surveys are effective, easy to distribute and it takes no more than a few minutes to complete them. However, not everyone is willing to spend that few minutes answering questions they think are not related to them.

 

A more convenient option is to leverage saved customer information obtained through the interactions on a centralized knowledge base. All data should be easily accessible to help businesses understand the buyer’s ecosystem and meet the various needs it represents.

 

Because data such as customer satisfaction can serve as insights for your business. It allows for proactive measures to be executed while keeping your business one step ahead when tackling possible problems or issues. Especially now, it takes more than just R&D or product development for businesses to stay as forefront runners in their respective industry.

 

Empowering Employees Boosts Customer Experience

 

While it is important to understand customers’ expectations and needs, making sure that your employees are satisfied at work is just as crucial. A study by Temkin Group found that organizations that received good employee engagement ratings are more likely to provide excellent customer experience.

 

Internal culture within the company should not make employees feel suffocated, but empowered. Removing rigid departmental silos will effectively make customer journey a breeze, as a good internal culture will also benefit your customers in the long run. Even though it has been overlooked for some time, nurturing and empowering organization culture will ultimately enhance how your customers feel when interacting with your business.

 

Connecting on Multiple Fronts

 

With the digital explosion in recent years, businesses can connect with customers on multiple fronts at the same time. Let’s say, Bob contacted a car manufacturer regarding a possible engine problem with his car but his calls and emails weren’t answered. He was only able to connect to their customer support after posting his question on social media.

 

If the manufacturer had only the phone as their communication channel, Bob would have gotten even more frustrated than just having his calls and emails unattended. It would even be possible for him to choose a different service provider, and that means a business opportunity gone as Bob drives away to get his problem fixed.

 

Interacting through various channels allows businesses to engage in collaborative, consultative relationships with customers. Regardless of any channel they choose, they are guaranteed with responsive and exceptional customer support from you! Which is why the omnichannel experience has become the trend in customer service these days.

 

But hold your horses! This will only work with viable and engaging omnichannel strategies. Companies that employ excellent omnichannel strategies enjoy a 10% YOY growth. Once you have that strategy, all you need is a powerful omnichannel platform that can make all interactions seem…seamless.

 

‘C’ is for Customers

 

Here’s the thing – to know what customers really want, you have to BE the customer. You don’t necessarily have to buy your own products. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and ask; what do I want from this business? What improvements would make me happier when using this service?

 

Put away short-term financially driven goals in favour of customer-driven decisions. Jim Tinchner, a CX expert from Heart of the Customer explained that businesses are likely to put more interest in measurement over metrics in 2020. In the end, the best way to know what customers want is to think like them. Empathy goes a long way, especially in the business world.

 

To know more on how you can make your customers’ lives easier, contact us and we’ll be delighted to share our expertise with you!