I’m an avid reader, so I’ll start this blog with a little analogy about books. I’m sure my fellow bookworms can recall a storyline that immediately captured their attention and really pulled them into the experience—that type of book that’s difficult to put down because you’re so invested in the story and you can’t wait to find out what happens next. It’s also quite possible that you encountered a book that did just the opposite. Perhaps the characters weren’t believable or the plot was flawed, but you simply couldn’t get into it for some reason. You might have even given up and stopped reading somewhere in the middle.
In the business world, the practice of delivering a positive customer experience can play out in a similar way. Like a good book, a great customer experience will attract attention, keep people engaged, and help ensure that they keep coming back for more. Meanwhile, an unfulfilling experience can make customers feel unseen and chip away at loyalty. At worst, it might even prompt them to seek out a better experience from one of your competitors. Let’s explore how ensuring a positive customer experience across all communication channels can help nurture loyal, satisfied customers who contribute to your bottom line with repeat business.
The Importance of a Positive Customer Experience
Keypoint Intelligence recently completed a web-based survey of over 350 business respondents in North America. Of the total respondent pool, 161 enterprises (roughly 44%) considered improving the customer experience to be among their most important business objectives. Of these enterprises, the most common tactics for improving the customer experience were expanding the mobile offering, improving data hygiene/address validation, and better interacting with customers via social media.
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| Tactics for Improving the Customer Experience |
There is no question that the march toward digital is increasing, but this does not mean that all customers want all their interactions to be digital. Today’s customers want to be seen as individuals, and they want to engage with brands on their own terms. Most importantly, they will expect a seamless and satisfactory experience across all communication channels—print or digital.
Improving the customer experience sounds simple enough, but it has its own set of challenges. According to our survey results, the most common challenges were developing an effective strategy, using analytics technology, and managing information across multiple databases.
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| Most Significant Challenge Associated with Improving Customer Experience |
If you don’t have the resources to deliver a great customer experience in-house, consider investing in a software solution or partnering with a vendor that can help you offer a positive experience in a seamless yet cost-effective manner. Today’s consumers want to be recognized as individuals, so select a software platform or service provider that focuses on the customer experience. Doing so can help you deliver that personal touch and foster the human connection that is so important to a positive experience.
Delivering an Omnichannel Experience
Implementing an omnichannel communication strategy can deliver many benefits to enterprises and their customers alike. Over the next two years, channels like mobile apps, social media, and personal cloud storage are expected to increase the most in terms of importance. That said, even the more traditional channels are expected to remain important to most respondents over the next two years. According to Keypoint Intelligence’s Transactional Communications survey data, over 70% of business respondents expect direct mail to be moderately or extremely important to their transactional communications strategy in two years’ time.
Keypoint Intelligence’s Opinion
In the same way that a good book can draw the reader in and immerse them in a story, a positive customer experience can foster loyalty and make a customer feel invested in your brand. Satisfied customers are repeat customers, and this can hold true for books and experiences alike. It’s no mystery why sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble will recommend an author’s other books to a reader that has already shown an interest in that author. If someone likes a storyteller’s writing or plotlines in one book, they might appreciate their other offerings, too. Like a good book, a superior customer experience can create an emotional connection that ultimately fosters brand loyalty.
Subscribers to Keypoint Intelligence’s Customer Communications Advisory Service can access additional research, forecast data, and analysis on the importance of delivering a positive customer experience across all channels. If you’re not a subscriber, just send us an email at sales@keypointintelligence.com for more information.
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