Five Steps To Super-Boosting Your Company’s Customer Experience
The age of the customer is here, and this is shifting the balance of power. In this opinion piece, Nick Dempsey, General Manager – Australia & New Zealand, GMC Software, dives deep into five ways you can maximise your customer experience and help your business ride the success wave.
Today, consumers have an ever-increasing wealth of information at their fingertips and a growing demand for instant communication. They want to easily interact with and receive quick responses from customer service operatives, access information readily across the multiple devices they own, and transact on-the-go.
In response, companies are changing their business strategy to meet the expectations of the more than 35 million mobile connections, 25 million active internet users and 14 million active social media users in Australia.
Improving customer experience (CX) is among many top priorities for businesses, and this is leading to large scale digital or CX transformation initiatives. Here are five key ways companies should be boosting customer experiences.
1. More personalised interactions with customers in a mobile age
Australia has seen a significant increase in the uptake of mobile and smart technology in recent years. In 2015, ownership of smart phones and tablets reached 81 per cent and 62 per cent of the Australian population, respectively. We’re gradually becoming a mobile-first population.
Globally, companies are recognising the need to adapt to new consumer habits; Google, for instance, last year announced a change to its search algorithms, factoring in a website’s mobile-friendliness in their search rankings, making it clear that user experience and website design should be high on the agenda for all companies.
Indeed, the mobile phone is already a very important device for customer communication, and companies will certainly work on improving the customer user experience to enhance their connection with customers via mobile through applications and SMS.
2. New metrics for measuring communications
Beyond laptops, tablets and mobile phones, the use of new wearables, from smart watches, clothing and more, are on the rise. An ever-increasing number of communications channels mean that traditional metrics no longer suffice for measuring the effectiveness or value of communications.
In particular, we can expect to see a surge in the popularity of social media and mobility-based metrics as companies go increasingly digital and customer communication channels become more interconnected. Companies will want to know and evaluate every aspect, including each encounter that their customers have with their services.
3. Synchronising and centralising communications across touchpoints
Every touchpoint plays a significant role in each individual’s customer experience. Forward-looking companies are always looking to streamline their communications platforms to deliver seamless and consistent messaging across all touchpoints.
Investing in an omni-channel platform allows them to communicate via a single, unified voice over the entire spectrum of media, devices and preferred channels.
4. Moving towards end-to-end solutions
In an Accenture study on driving a more personalised customer experience, it’s recommended that providing customers the quickest, easiest and most personalised experiences possible are fundamental to a successful business.
Firms will increasingly recognise the need for end-to-end solutions that connect customer experiences throughout the customer life cycle. These solutions are not just omni-channel – they are also insight-driven and consistent across the entire customer journey, from the first touchpoint and throughout the lifecycle.
Forrester predicts that from 2016 to 2018, firms’ obsession with the customer will gradually accelerate the maturity of business technology and the demand for end-to-end solutions to replace point solutions.
Finally, as companies increasingly acknowledge that customer experience is vital to the business and recognise the power of data and insights for understanding customers, it is only a matter of time before the following trend emerges among many companies, to bring together and elevate all other initiatives to improve customer communications.
5. The rise of the Chief Data Officer and Chief Experience Officer role
The Chief Data Officer (CDO) or Chief Experience Officer role is a new title for many companies. This is someone who will be key to improving the customer experience and communications in an organisation by leveraging and organising data and insights across the entire business or customer lifecycle.
Gartner predicts that by 2015, 25 per cent of large global organisations will have a CDO and by 2017, 50 per cent of companies in regulated industries will have a Chief Data Officer. Consumer expectations are progressing and customer service has not caught up.
The CDO or CXO’s role is pivotal for discovering discrepancies in user experience and cultivating a quality, consistent customer experience throughout the customer journey.
For businesses that have not seriously considered the customer experience yet, it is not too late to start. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, the options are plentiful for companies who are actively seeking new ways to enhance the customer experience, and these are the organisations that will excel in this new age.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Latest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.