Digitally Yours – The Customer Experience Quotient
There’s a lot of talk about companies going digital and the overarching benefits. In this series we delve deeper into what it means to individual functions. Digital transformation, at its core, is the response to a combination of pain points. Our first part of the series discusses key strategies in moving your customer facing functions to the digital world.
We live in a world where customers can change the course of a company with a single review. So, it’s no surprise that management is shifting towards a customer-centric approach that drives customer experience [CX] to yield tangible, long-term benefits – more customers, more sales, and more loyalty.
This can mean a number of things depending on an organization’s vision and mission. In order to keep up with customers, front-facing functions have to be available where they are. Going digital means they can reach out to you at the touch of a button. But more importantly, it means that you can tap into the market potential that existing customers already offer.
The Digital Customer
Smartphones, applications, and automation allow customers to get what they want when they want it. This has created a self-aware end user who is perpetually connected and expects digital solutions, streamlined service, and powerful functionality. Modern customers are aware of what technology can accomplish and how to use it.
This widespread adoption of technology across touchpoints, in return, has created an environment of instant feedback based on digital experiences. Online reviews carry a lot of weight now, and this means rethinking and restructuring interactions with customers.
Chasing the data
Having data and not using it, is like using a fishing net with holes.
Every organization with an online presence generates copious amount of information about their customers. When working with compartmentalised information, you might lack the insight and foresight to deliver rich digital experiences. Creating seamless CX calls for unified data streams, and powerful automation and reporting tools.
With a better understanding of the demographic, behaviour patterns, and needs; data mining and extrapolation will allow implementation of targeted campaigns relevant to customers’ particular needs. A strategic approach to using customer data could be the difference between losing a customer or gaining one.
Personalized interaction
Digital initiatives should complement existing customer journeys. Hastily developed new processes/features have a tendency to receive lukewarm responses, or negatively impact user experience to the point of driving them away.
Cold calling customers is an archaic strategy. Pertinent questions revolve around the organization’s online presence and support functions. Sharing relevant content and expertise as part of a solution to a proposed problem helps to reach out to old and prospective customers, build relationships and educate them. Understanding experiences will drive digital transformation.
However, customers want and expect personalized messages which are possible only through strategic data-driven marketing. The quickest way to lose a customer is if (s)he believes that the organization is not invested in them. Put simply, digital growth should not be at the expense of customer satisfaction.
Human interaction is by far the most important component of CX. Digital transformation is about more than front-end and customer-facing functions. It involves the whole organization and requires engaging the back-end as well.
The final word
At the end of the day, digital customer-facing processes and interactions are imperative for a good customer service experience. It is simply a question of making your tools invaluable so customers choose to use them over competitors.
To enjoy true digital transformation, organizations must adopt an umbrella approach. While it has the potential to shape all client interactions, it can also greatly improve quality metrics. By building an agile and cross-functional approach to a customer-centric organization, you can drive value on all fronts.
In the next part to our series, we’ll talk about the implications of going digital with voice intelligence and what it means for customer lifecycle management.
