Customer experience not only covers the complete set of interactions but also caters to the perceptions of customers based on these interactions. The recent decade has experienced some major changes in customer experience. It will not be a stretch to say that a lot has happened over the past 10 years. Considering the digital age we live in, there have been major technological advancements that have influenced customer expectations and experiences to a great extent. Having said that, customers and their mindsets have changed and they have more information available to them all the time. If they want to find out more about a product or service, they would rather prefer exploring it through different social media platforms.
A potential consumer might check out the reviews and feedback on a product or service online before making a purchase. Therefore, the fact is that as a company or organization, you have to go the extra mile when it comes to exploring your target audience, their preferences, buying habits, and behavior, in order to align the features and sales pitch of your product or service. Only then can you stand out in today’s diverse and highly competitive market. Due to readily available alternate options and easy access to a wider range of choices, customer expectations regarding product performance or service accessibility have also skyrocketed over the past years.
Thus, only those brands with an active customer support service can prove to be competitive in the ever-growing industry. Take the cable industry, for instance. We see providers like TWC gaining maximum attention from users because of an active customer support service. A potential customer knows that all he has to do is to pick up the phone, dial the TWC phone number and get instant support and assistance regarding any query or concern straight away. This is what helps customers develop trust in your brand.
It is paramount to gain such kind of assurance from your customer bank to conquer the targeted market. So, let us explore the changing customer experiences witnessed over the past decade. Dive in!
Customers Love Online Interaction
With the emergence of countless mobile technologies, the way a customer interacts and communicates has transformed. Be it viewing a product or completing a transaction, with mobile phones everything is practically a click away for the user. With internet access almost everywhere, users tend to visit a website, check out a product feature, explore more about your brand via various social media platforms and know it all. The better the online presence of your business, the more leads you can acquire.
Customers Seek Consistency and Trust
Since customers always have multiple options for any type of product or service they wish to buy, more popular and consistently well-performing brands have an edge. This is why positive customer reviews and feedbacks always help boost up the sales and profits for a business, nowadays. Hence, more focus and investment are required towards the customer support department so that maximum customer satisfaction can be ensured. Over the decade, brands that have managed to build a strong trust relationship with their customers and put serious effort into ensuring consistent product performance have been the winners of their respective industries.
Customers have Access to More Information
So much content, reviews, word of mouth, expert opinions – everything is within the palm of one’s hand. In this digital era, every piece of information is available online. A customer does his background research and makes a more informed decision regarding what product or service to buy or subscribe to. Now, consumers are more aware and compare various suppliers or products before making up their minds to make a purchase.
Outside-In Customer Strategies
Gone are the days when inside-out orientations were adopted by organizations that mainly meant seeing customer interaction through the eye of the business needs rather than the customer needs. In the past decade, we see inside-out strategies fading as the organizations continue to adopt the outside-in approach. This involves understanding the customer’s needs and placing the customer’s perspective first. Effective customer care has become the topmost priority over the past decade because only then you can ensure higher customer retention. Customers, nowadays, are intolerant of poor performance or low-quality products. They do not hesitate to switch to the competitor’s product instantly.
Wrapping Up
The last decade has seen some major changes in the customer experience trends. Over the past years, customer needs and perceptions have gained greater importance. Customer expectations have elevated and they are now more informed. This is why effective customer support services have become a necessity for any brand or business to become successful and secure a top spot in the industry.
