8. Wanting personalised experiences that are tailored for them, based on knowledge about their preferences and previous behaviours.
Marketing today is expected to be relevant and provide on insightful recommendations.
9. Better connected to each other and more able to share information more readily than ever before.
Consumers are 71% more likely to purchase based on social media recommendations. Corporate customers seek out referrals and case studies online and on social networks.
10. Demanding better, more reliable service because they have come to expect instant access to what they want, when they want it. Great customer service is available 24x7, engaging, personalised and offers self-service.
Customers are disrupting the supplier relationship
Customers are more aware, have more options, are more demanding and ultimately have more power.
To win, you need to recognise this and provide the best experience, not just the best product:
• Understand your customers and really learn what they want from you today, as well as what they value from suppliers in general.
This may signal an opportunity to give them a new, desired experience. Disruptive innovators often enter (and take over) industries by offering a unique experience to that market based on existing technology.
• Offer engaging experiences from start to finish, with options for customers to interact with you in the ways that work best for them. The best customer experience journeys are consistent, insightful and personal.
• Provide consistently good service across all interactions that your customers have with you. Make sure you deliver the right service for the medium; customers have different expectations of in person, online, mobile and social interactions
If you can win the hearts of your customers, you will win their minds. Technologies have opened up new methods and approaches, but success comes down to connecting to your customers on an emotional level.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” — Maya Angelou
By David Reiss - Business technology specialist, Spark Digital