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A recent report from Gartner found that a large majority \u2014 81% \u2014 of customer experience (CX) leaders predict they will compete mostly or entirely on CX.<\/p>\n
However, less than half of those responding have established the rationale for why CX drives business outcomes.<\/p>\n
In addition, although companies believe they are improving CX, it’s unclear whether they are actually doing so.<\/p>\n
By their own metrics, 48% of respondents said their CX efforts exceed management\u2019s expectations, but only just 22% reported those efforts exceeded customers\u2019 expectations, according to the Gartner report.<\/p>\n
Retailers’ CX strategies are clearly falling short, but improvements can be made. Here are some suggestions from the Gartner study.<\/p>\n
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Retailers should take a deep dive and determine whether the data they capture provides a clear picture of customer wants, needs and expectations, rather than their perceptions of existing initiatives.<\/p>\n
Once the customer data is gathered, touch points identified, and measurement systems implemented, consider demographics.<\/p>\n
Millennial customers, for example, enjoy complicating CX matters.<\/p>\n
Research shows that millennials don’t take loyalty programs as seriously as older customers, because they bristle at the idea that a brand would take their business for granted.<\/p>\n
While they may be regular customers at a particular retailer for a while, millennials need fresh, compelling reasons to be loyal.<\/p>\n
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Provide relevant experiences at key touch points to drive customers deeper into the buy, own and advocate journey.<\/p>\n
Brands hoping to secure loyalty need to start by putting themselves in their customers’ shoes: How can a brand show loyalty to its best customers?<\/p>\n
Understanding guests and customers across all channels and touch points is critical, no matter where they are on the customer journey.<\/p>\n
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CX leaders must make sure to measure their more innovative customer experiences against adoption, perception and financial objectives.<\/p>\n
Customer experience must evolve, but it must do so bearing in mind the successes of the past.<\/p>\n
Understanding the differences between customer segments is critical.
\nIf customers are primarily millennials, engage in a way that aims to satisfy their desire for recognition and status.<\/p>\n
Provide them with a platform for standing out as trendsetters.<\/p>\n
But if baby boomers are a majority of clientele, understand they prefer high touch over high tech: Service with a smile is paramount for those customers.<\/p>\n
Gartner boils it down to this: understanding customer experience is paramount to success, one size does not fit all, and it’s the customer’s perception that matters most.<\/p>\n
No matter how successful a retailer thinks it is in providing top notch service, the customer’s opinion is still always right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A recent report from Gartner found that a large majority \u2014 81% \u2014 of customer experience (CX) leaders predict they will compete mostly or entirely on CX. However, less than half of those responding have established the rationale for … Continue reading