The market is in constant transformation, which directly impacts the way people consume brands and, especially, the way they interact with them. Today, when we talk about relationships with consumers, we talk about the age of experience, with a focus on the consumer journey, from pre- to post-sales, and not only the attributes of a particular product or service.
The customer experience has been gaining attention in recent years and it has become one of the main differentials for companies of any size, in any segment. Most companies have a specific area to take care of the customer journey – Customer Experience.
Making consumers the center of the strategy is fundamental, in a scenario where people are increasingly attentive to and demanding of companies and their brands. Even more so in times of digital transformation, in which social media have made customers more prominent as business influencers either as brand lovers,or detractors of a particular brand, product, or service. So, the customer experience is guided by personalized conversations, capable of creating bonds between companies and consumers.
Given this scenario, what can we expect going forward? Immediacy, artificial intelligence, multiple channels? Here are seven trends that will mark relationships with customers in the coming years.
- Advanced personalization: Personalization is and will continue to be key to creating exceptional experiences. And this will involve using data collected from various sources to provide personalized recommendations, unique offers, and targeted communications. The more information a company has about a customer, the more accurate and effective personalization will be. So, CRM and integration with other platforms must be paid attention to.
- Omnichannel, consistent experiences: Advanced personalization will extend to all customer interaction channels, whether physical stores, websites, mobile apps, social media, or customer services. The experience should be consistent and personalized across all touchpoints. Even if you choose a main channel, such as WhatsApp, the other channels must play their roles fully.
- Immersive experiences: The more real, the better! Technology has advanced to the point where it allows for more immersive experiences, through which customers view products in their environments before they buy. You can offer interactive and educational experiences, and virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are there to provide those moments.
- Intelligent automation: Automation will play an increasingly important role in customer relationships. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation (RPA) can be applied to streamline repetitive tasks, improve efficiency, and enable 24/7 interactions with customers. However, you need to find a balance between automation and the human touch, so as not to make the experience too impersonal. That is why AI must be able to understand and respond to customers’ natural language. This includes recognizing nuances, understanding complex questions, and providing relevant answers. And most importantly, knowing how to deal with it when contact requires a human presence.
- Proactivity: We must anticipate customers’ needs and problems and provide proactive support. This can be achieved by monitoring data and analyzing patterns to identify potential problems before they occur, or by offering personalized assistance based on customer history and behavior. A company with organized CRM integrated with the channels can fully monitor the customer journey, anticipating needs and surprise customers.
- Trust and security: Digitalization has created several scenarios, some beneficial, others less so. With increasing concerns about data privacy and security, companies must make trust a priority. They must be transparent about their data collection and use practices, ensure the security of customer information, and comply with relevant regulations. Showing customers that their data is protected and that the company invests in security can increase brand loyalty.
- Valuing the voice of the customer, and continuous learning: Collecting regular feedback, proactively responding to customer criticism and suggestions, and incorporating this information into continuous product and service improvements, should be something that companies always consider. Customers should have the option to speak to a human representative for more complex issues, or when they want a more personalized interaction, whether for product purchases, questions, or complaints. Instant messaging channels, such as WhatsApp, are agile, easily accessible and used by most people on a daily basis. So, conversations tend to be even more natural for customers. And today, with technology integrating communication into customer history, it provides better answers.
