CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DRIVES SUCCESS

What is the customer experience?

We all interact with businesses at every stage of our day, be it at the shops, on the phone, or online. These interactions each constitute a customer experience, which is the sum of all the emotions, impressions, and thoughts a customer has while interacting with a business. It’s in not just customer service – although that plays a part in it – but encompasses the entire interaction from initial contact through to the product itself and all the way to receiving a follow-up email after a purchase.

A good customer experience is consistent, friendly, convenient and makes customers want to come back. To deliver such experiences, businesses need people who understand that this requires of a whole-of-company approach, including customer-centric product design, effective and meaningful data collection and a commitment to act on feedback.

Why is the customer experience important in the workplace?

With the wealth of choice that the globalised economy has brought consumers, businesses have increased their focus on providing outstanding customer experiences in the past few years. And for good reason – according to a survey by PwC, 32% of consumers switch to another business after just one bad customer experience. It’s no surprise that for the vast majority of businesses, customer experience is the number one differentiator. For businesses that want to stand out, it’s vital to get the customer experience right.

The process of building and maintaining a loyal customer base has changed the last decade, with classic factors like location mattering less and other factors like speed, responsiveness and social media representation mattering more. Understanding and adapting to this change is a vital skill to bring into an organisation.

With over 90% of organisations now employing a Customer Experience Officer or equivalent, as reported by Gartner, individuals who are able to provide an excellent experience from start to finish are highly sought after. Employees equipped with the knowledge and skills required to build and deliver excellent customer experiences help businesses stand out from the competition, often making the difference between failure and success.