In today’s business environment, consumers and organizations have a different relationship altogether. Modern consumers have become more informed, and are not driven merely by quality or low prices. Gone are the days of product-oriented advertisements that focused just on the tangible benefits of a product or where premium quality was associated with better brands. Today, marketing has emerged to be more customer-oriented – focusing on delivering positive experiences for a product or service.  

So, why customer experience matters for businesses today? According to statistics published by Oberlo, 84% of consumers state customer service is a primary factor that influences their purchase decision. 95% of all customers consider customer service crucial to brand loyalty, i.e., better their customer experience with a brand, higher would be their association with a brand.

As such, customer experience is a top most priority for organizations today and the reason is obvious – businesses that focus on offering improved consumer experiences minimize churn and improve ROI, resulting in higher profits. While consumers still prioritize quality and price, they also consider customer service as an important factor to choose between brands. According to HubSpot, “customers would rather invest in a brand that focuses on their needs and constantly provides value beyond the initial purchase.”

If you want to improve customer experience across multiple touchpoints, here are some quick solutions for you.

1. Build an Omnichannel Marketing Strategy

Did you know that 9 out of 10 customers want an omnichannel experience where service is delivered seamlessly between various communication methods? Therefore, creating an omnichannel presence is one of the best ways to gather crucial customer insights regarding their behavior and interactions across the life cycle. The strategy should encompass multiple channels for marketing, sales, and customer support.  

An omnichannel communication strategy allows consumers to associate with the brand and achieve a smooth transition on their preferred channels. For organizations, this helps understand the customer’s journey more efficiently and collate valuable insights to help identify bottlenecks and make improvements. By streamlining customer interactions within one umbrella, omnichannel presence aids in improved productivity and customer experience.

2. Improve Workflow Productivity and Operational Efficiency

Most startups and small organizations struggle hard to improve their customer service, majorly due to poor productivity levels and workflow inefficiencies. Strategic workflow management can help streamline repeatable and time-consuming business tasks, reducing errors and improving overall efficiency. Business leaders can make smarter and quicker decisions, while employees are able to collaborate in a more agile and productive way.

Having a definitive approach to identify workflow loopholes and make improvements enables resolving customers’ problems in a better way – resulting in higher customer satisfaction. An experienced business advisor can evaluate your industry, market and competitors, understanding your target audiences and developing personalized solutions that align with your goals.

Through effective consultation on strategy development, performance management, process improvement, digital transformation, and project management, advisors can help enhance overall operational efficiency. With improved processes and motivated employees, organizations can efficiently serve their customers and resolve their problems on time.

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3. Deliver Improved Customer Service

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Organizations should understand that customer service needs to be customer-oriented, not business-focused. To offer enhanced customer experiences, it is crucial to assess every customer touchpoint and improve engagement level. And one of the best ways to improve customer service is by providing real-time support. Use digital customer engagement tools, such as live chat or co-browsing, to speed up the resolution time and achieve customer satisfaction. Personalizing communication through video calls can also help detect complex issues and provide prompt solutions.

4. Use AI-Based Customer Experience Solutions

Delivering improved customer experience across multiple channels can be a complex and time-consuming process. Simplify operations and augment customer satisfaction through AI-based platforms that can help organizations streamline customer on-boarding, service and helpdesk management, and communication. Use a SaaS-based solution that can be easily customized to fit your needs and are easy to use. These software solutions enable you to streamline communication, simplify brand engagement, facilitate team management, automate workflows, and provide the option for customer self-service.    

These are powered by Artificial Intelligence and therefore, capable of adding a human touch to every interaction you have with clients. This is an important element of improved customer experience. Customers associate better with brands that have a human touchpoint, and not just technology like IVR.

5. Train Your Customer Support Team

The teams that directly interact with your customers are the first touchpoints for your company – and can make or break your brand loyalty. Therefore, it is important to set clear guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for customer interactions at all levels. At the same time, it is equally important to ensure that your customer support teams are capable of following the processes and maintaining high levels. Therefore, regular training is crucial.

According to Salesforce, 88% of leading businesses are investing significantly in agent training to improve their customer service experience across marketing, sales, and support. Training should encompass diverse areas such as product knowledge and soft skills.

6. Serve Your Customers Before a Problem Arises  

Do you know what makes high-authority brands cut an edge in the market? It is their proactive approach to customer service. They won’t wait for customers to call them up, wait in a queue, and report a problem. They help clients resolve a problem through effective content marketing, FAQs, whiteboards, instructions, and much more. This approach makes the customers feel valued as they know any potential problem is well taken care of.

A personalized note or email, getting feedback and reviews, making a random call to your customer to know how the product or service works, etc. can go a long way in building customer loyalty and improved experiences.

Conclusion

Instead of competing on prices, brands should focus on improving their customer experience by providing high-quality products and services, streamlining communication across multiple touchpoints, improving workflow productivity, and better serve their customers in a prompt and efficient manner. Consulting an experienced advisor can help identify the loopholes in your customer experience process, and address the same in a more strategic way.        

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