The face of business is changing even as we speak and COVID-19 has accelerated this change even further. Like ever other aspect of business, we cannot truly know exactly what the customer experience will look like as nations start to slowly reopen. The only thing that is certain is that the customer experience landscape will be very different compared to only a few months ago. Several experts have told CMS Wire what they think the future holds for CX.
“Because more physical experiences will shift to digital, companies will have to work harder to stand out and build authentic connections with their employees and customers,” said Litha Ramirez, executive director of the experience strategy and design group for SPR. “Companies will have to get a grasp of how their brand is expressed in every end-user touchpoint and will need to ensure it reflects their values consistently and appropriately for every circumstance, from sales to instruction manuals to menus to customer service to invoices and receipts.”
In addition to this, businesses and consumers both can expect to see far more chatbots in the new future. Chatbots were already gaining popularity with vendors around the world; but with the pandemic speeding things up, it is very likely that more interactions will be handles by these automated systems soon.
Trust is also another point of contention. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for businesses to strengthen their ties with the consumer.
“The most trusted leaders and brands will have a big competitive advantage in the new normal that evolves in a post-Corona world,” said Paige Arnof-Fenn, CEO and founder of Mavens & Moguls.
“Employees, customers and clients will remember who treated them well during the crisis and they will be rewarded with loyalty from earning that trust during the bad times. We have learned that it is about touching people in meaningful ways which may mean being less busy, not more, for a while. Once we lay this groundwork it all will be in place to continue moving forward as the economy reopens and some businesses come back quicker than others,” she added.
With CX becoming ever more digital, it is unlikely that non-digital interactions will return to their previous level. With this in mind, here are a few things that CX professionals can try:
- Try using video calls or short video messages to interact with customers instead of just using emails and phone calls.
- Keep track of customer birthdays and anniversaries. This creates a more personalised experience when you send a birthday or gift card.
- Over-deliver on promises as much as possible. The more value you add to your product or service, the better.
- Strive to create an emotional experience with each interaction. People forget what you say or do but always remember how you make them feel, good or bad.
