A recent Accenture report shows that 64 percent of consumers expect businesses to quickly respond to their changing needs.
With customer acquisition costs rising and the cost of switching brands getting lower, prioritizing customer-centricity has never been more important. And it shouldn’t be limited to product innovation but the entire customer experience.
From your CEO to the marketing creatives and sales team, everyone has to work together to create a brilliant and unified CX that:
- Keeps customers at the forefront
- Earns loyalty and retention
- Improves brand reputation
- Amplifies brand advocacy
In short, a compelling customer experience generates tangible business results. Let’s find out how:
Importance of creating a compelling customer experience
The State of CX Report 2023 found that businesses are reorganizing and transforming their CX to meet customer expectations.
Here are a few reasons why building an unforgettable customer experience should be your priority, too:
1. It enhances brand reputation
Let’s say you subscribed to a software without going through complicated forms and onboarding criteria. The brand offered timely follow-ups, provided multiple support channels, and resolved your queries promptly. You are bound to develop favorable opinions for the service provider, right?
It shows that the brand cares about its customers. Exemplary products, exceptional customer service, an easy shopping experience, and prompt support also create positive brand recognition. It lets the buyer associate you with quality, reliability, and value—three important pillars of a strong brand reputation.
Create omnichannel CX, including online and physical stores. They should reflect your mission, vision, and values consistently. Ensure they can engage with your brand on different channels without missing a beat.
Use social listening to track and engage with relevant conversations and address customer issues promptly. It lets you identify potential reputation threats and minimize them before escalation.
Run surveys regularly and apply the gathered insights into CX strategies. This drives continuous improvements and proves your commitment to enhancing CX.
For example, Wendy’s has a survey portal called Wendy Wants to Know, where they collect feedback to improve customer experience.
2. It increases customer loyalty
Consistently exceptional customer experience delights customers. It makes them feel good about brand interactions, gradually developing emotional connection and loyalty.
Delivering seamless CX on every touchpoint fosters trust, credibility, and reliability. A personalized, meaningful, and hassle-free customer journey builds confidence in your brand, paving the way to loyalty.
Map the customer journey, from initial inquiry to post-purchase assistance. Use heat mapping to identify where customers face the most obstacles. Tally the insights with customer feedback and remove the common CX pain points. This shows how you value your customers, earning loyalty.
Beyond business transactions, it offers a sense of belonging through community building. It intertwines their emotions with your brand, creating a lasting bond and increasing loyalty.
For example, Sephora has a thriving community page where members post their experiences, engage with other skincare and make-up enthusiasts, and ask the support team questions.
Offer loyal members exclusive rewards and benefits like free products, upgrades, add-ons, or brand merch. To incentivize their love, include a loyalty program in CX where customers earn points for every purchase.
Starbucks sustains its loyal customer base through CX elements like personalized offers and loyalty programs. For example, their rewards program offers points for every purchase through digital transactions. Customers can redeem them for free coffees, birthday treats, and drink refills.
3. It generates positive word-of-mouth
Memorable customer experiences can rapidly create word of mouth. Personalized, hassle-free interactions at every touchpoint delight customers and encourage them to share their happy experiences with peers. This amplifies word of mouth, enhancing brand credibility and high-quality lead generation.
Identify the key moments in the customer journey where you can surprise customers. Offer personalized recommendations and surprise discount codes. The aim is to create memorable experiences that customers want to share with others.
Adding a simple referral program to CX incentivizes brand advocacy and boosts word of mouth.
For example, Digital Ocean runs a referral program where brand advocates get $200, and new customers get $25 worth of shopping credits.
Boost word of mouth through UGC campaigns with branded hashtags on your social media. This generates significant organic and authentic social proof and offers customers a chance to boast their love for you, enhancing the customer experience.
For example, GoPro collects high-quality UGC through its Photo of the Day campaign, which is a testament to the quality of the product and the community’s loyalty.
4. It boosts customer satisfaction
A seamless and customer-centric CX goes beyond meeting basic needs. Exceed their expectations and ensure the best possible interactions with your brand. When your messaging, products, and services align with customers’ needs, desires, and pain points, they feel seen and valued, boosting satisfaction.
In SaaS or agency space, offering clear, productized services that clients can easily understand and purchase is crucial. This way, there’s no ambiguity, and clients always get top-notch service. It builds trust and keeps them coming back.
Keep real-time tabs on customer needs by monitoring their on-site activity. Recommend products based on demographics and purchasing history.
Very few brands can beat Amazon’s CX in personalized recommendations. The e-commerce giant is popular for keeping customers at the center of every operation and it shows. For example, a buyer can shop from customized silos like “Fashion trends you like” and also get a gift for Father’s Day.
Offer one-tap payments for easy checkouts. Once a customer buys a product, send guides and relevant resources with your follow-up email. This adds to their delight and elevates satisfaction further.
5. It differentiates from competitors
Every product has multiple alternatives. So, what makes you different? An exceptional customer experience unique to your brand. It creates strong recognition and sets you apart from competitors.
For this, your CX has to be perfectly aligned with the lives of your target demographic.
For example, McDonald’s founded their entire CX on quick service, portable meals, and consistency across online and offline channels. Curated specifically to appeal to their target customer base of busy individuals and families, it pays off. Now, every time we think of fast food, McDonald’s is the first name to pop up in our minds.
Make content personal through storytelling. This will tie customers’ emotions with your brand and differentiate you from other businesses.
For example, Airbnb posts two YouTube Shorts series showing why hosts should list properties with them and why their homestays are the best accommodation options for guests. The stories involve interesting characters and plots and communicate the message perfectly.
6. It drives repeat business
A strong CX strategy delights the buyers and enhances their satisfaction, driving repeat business. Adobe’s State of CX found that businesses prioritizing CX generate 12 percent more repeat business than their counterparts.
Use data to personalize customers’ online and brick-and-mortar store experiences. Monitor customers’ online behavior to anticipate and address challenges. Identify inactive customers and re-engage them through personalized communication. Include discount codes in the message to encourage engagement.
Offer points for every purchase so customers return to redeem them, generating repeat business.
7. It improves customer retention
Excellent products blended with a simple and delightful CX eliminate reasons to stray to other brands. It builds emotional connections and boosts loyalty, translating to improved customer retention.
In short, if you continually exceed customer expectations at every touch point, your customers may not get swayed by even the most attractive offers.
So,
- Implement a smooth website navigation and a responsive web design.
- Ensure the interface is easily navigable.
- Offer valuable resources regularly through email newsletters to boost engagement.
For example, Calendly sends regular emails with tips and tricks to optimize customer experience. The email also links to their detailed knowledge base to help customers navigate their journey.
Offer outstanding customer support through 24×7 assistance, chatbots, and social media handles. Make your support channels easily accessible.
Consider implementing AI-powered tools, such as a personal AI meeting assistant, to provide customers with relevant, real-time support and guidance throughout their journey with your brand. Run NPS surveys to identify customers at churn risk and contact them to understand and resolve the issue.
8. It strengthens relationships with customers
A well-planned CX strategy prioritizes customer interest. This makes your shoppers feel understood and valued, strengthening their relationship with your brand.
Identify and participate in trending and relevant conversations on social media. Use a social media monitoring tool to track brand mentions and give on-brand replies.
For example, Duolingo has created a thriving community of fans through regular social media engagement. The brand offers prompt resolutions through its Twitter handle and engages in signature banter with the audience.
Duolingo also shares relevant tweets, posts on-brand memes, and keeps the conversation going. Their mission of making language learning fun oozes out of their audience engagement approach and solidifies their relationship with customers.
9. It increases sales and revenue
A compelling CX also drives upselling and cross-selling opportunities through repeat business, increasing CLV significantly. Seamless navigation and valuable resources also encourage customers to explore your offerings more. This generates more sales opportunities, increasing revenue. Plus, it fosters loyalty and word-of-mouth, driving more leads into your pipeline.
Tap into customer insights and recommend relevant upselling offers that add value to their lives and increase your average ticket size. Train your in-store employees to anticipate customer needs and suggest the right complementary products. You can also send emails for premium upgrades with discount codes to get them hooked to your high-end services.
10. It creates brand advocates
Positive customer experiences create unwavering loyalty and turn customers into brand advocates. A delightful shopping experience encourages them to discuss your brand, generating organic buzz and awareness. It improves brand positioning, creates a loyal community, and drives sustainable business.
Refine your CX strategies based on current customer needs. Update customer segmentation through real-time data analytics to maintain relevant.
Conclusion
Here are a few CX improvement tips to help you reap the above benefits:
- Create an omnichannel experience
- Use AI-powered technology to get real-time customer pulse
- Automate email marketing for timely communication
- Audit customer journeys regularly to eliminate unnecessary steps and roadblocks
- Always follow up and offer prompt assistance
Above all, focus on constant improvements, diligent efforts, and dedication to customer centricity — and you will create a CX that drives loyalty, brings repeat business, and increases sales.
