A business cannot exist without its customers, and therefore companies are focusing on how to win new business and perhaps more importantly, retain existing customers.

Customer expectations are rising, even faster than companies can improve their customer relationship. Customers expect every interaction to be the best experience they have with any company – not just yours!

So, the question remains, how can your organization create a great customer experience?

Trend #1: Experience Era

Survey says: Customers highly value great customer experiences.  86% of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience. By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.

To figure out how to become an Experience Business, first you must consider what an amazing experience looks and feels like for a customer. They want brands to know and respect them and predict and deliver what they want before they even ask for it, all while respecting their privacy. They expect brands to speak in one voice, no matter what the point of contact is. They demand transparent technology, so they can set the terms of a transaction. And they hope to be delighted at every turn — and the thing that wowed them yesterday is disappointing today, so brands must constantly elevate.

Trend #2: Let’s engage!

This trend continues to push companies to rethink how they engage and connect with their customers. By encouraging personalized, real-time, and consistent communication throughout the customer experience, businesses can find new ways to engage with their customers. At the same time, companies that respect their customers’ data, and use it well to improve their experience, stand a better chance of increasing customer trust and ultimately building loyalty.

Trend #3: Now it’s personal!

Most customers (73%) now expect companies to understand their needs and expectations.

Personalization — already recognized by marketers as having a big impact across the customer journey — is a given. Customers want a tailored experience as they progress from first hearing that a company exists all the way through to deciding to buy from them.

62% of customers now expect companies to adapt based on their actions and behaviours — almost in the manner of a great co-worker who brings your favourite coffee when they know you’ve been having a tough week.

The larger your brand is, the more personalized your customers expect their experiences to be!

Trend #4: At your service!

Great benefit of AI is the fact it’s always on, 24/7 — an attribute that completely suits our progressively ‘mobile-first’ state of mind.

Self-servicing is becoming the norm. Particularly among millennials and generation Z, dealing with humans on the phone (or at all) is so 2010!

By 2020 the customer will manage 85% of its relationship with an enterprise without interacting with a human.

Trend #5: Across all channels

Companies with the strongest omnichannel customer engagement strategies retain an average of 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for companies with weak omnichannel strategies.

Omnichannel communication engages the customer in a personalized dialogue across the channels in which they choose to engage.

Reports estimate 10 billion mobile-connected devices are now active — reaching almost 12 billion by the year 2020 — so, if you’re a part of a larger brand that’s not already ahead of the game — it’s time to catch up.

Sources: superoffice.com; salesforce.com; theblog.adobe.com

Mitto can help you improve your customer experience with a wide range of communication solutions, contact us today to find out more!