customer experience Archives - Arise https://www.arise.com/tag/customer-experience/ Omnichannel Contact Center Solutions Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:52:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.arise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/favicon.svg customer experience Archives - Arise https://www.arise.com/tag/customer-experience/ 32 32 Keeping Pace: A Guide To Rapidly Changing Customer Expectations https://www.arise.com/blog/keeping-pace-a-guide-to-rapidly-changing-customer-expectations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=keeping-pace-a-guide-to-rapidly-changing-customer-expectations Wed, 09 Aug 2023 09:46:49 +0000 https://newarisedev.wpenginepowered.com/?p=2367 Customers do not think (or behave) like they used to. Major shifts in consumer psychology were already happening, but in many ways these were accelerated through the pandemic.

The post Keeping Pace: A Guide To Rapidly Changing Customer Expectations appeared first on Arise.

]]>

"Things have changed in our space faster in the past two years than I've ever seen,"

Philip Bennett Customer Service Operations Manager at Empire Today.

We couldn’t agree more Philip. New technology, new strategies, new metrics…it’s a totally different ballgame for CX professionals. But perhaps the thing that has changed the most is the mentality of the very people we are working to serve: our customers.

Customers do not think (or behave) like they used to. Major shifts in consumer psychology were already happening, but in many ways these were accelerated through the pandemic. With all the recent complexity, many brands have given up on even trying to decipher customer behaviors. But world-class organizations are digging deep. They are leveraging new voice of customer capabilities to stay relevant and win market share. We can learn from these enterprising CX leaders.

We are still very much in the “Experience Economy”, meaning that understanding customer behaviors is not a luxury. It’s a fundamental requirement for businesses to grow in the coming era.

When it comes down to it, CX work is still so much about understanding expectations and following through on promises made. These expectations are being formed far outside of our control, however. The concept of “expectation transfer” (when other businesses innovate, creating a new behavior or expectation for customers) is happening all around us.

Our response as cx leaders?

We simply must become even more capable of understanding the unique nature of these beliefs as they evolve!

Here are three examples of modern customer expectations that cannot be ignored:

  • Excellence in digital channels: upwards of 80% of customer interactions are taking place inside of digital channels such as an app, website, self-service portal, or virtual community. If we are going to make these things available, they’ve got to be good.
  • Ease of business / flow of information: customers have very little patience for an organization that cannot get out of its own way. If you make it difficult to achieve objectives or obtain information, more capable competitors are ready and waiting.
  • Helpful personalization: personalization is finally more than sending a birthday email. Genai has brought true personalization, at scale, into the realm of possibility. 


As cx leaders, one of the most critical roles we play is that of helping organizations understand emerging trends such as these above. While the “brand promise” does not change, the way organizations go about fulfilling the promise does. Let’s look at three principles we can embrace that will help your organization to stay ahead of the “customer curve.”

Principle One:
A Flexible Guide

Customer psychology is complex. There are many paradoxical beliefs that lead to unpredictable behaviors. One example of this would be the customer’s desire to both be in control…and to be led to a solution.

woman_sitting_on_arrow_pointing_right

The sweet spot is for customer support professionals to act as a flexible guide. In Building A Story Brand, Donald Miller talks about how we as the business are not the hero of the story. It’s actually the customer. The journey is theirs, and we act as a capable navigator to help the customer reach “their definition of success.”

The role of guide is such a powerful metaphor for organizations to embrace. Not only does it take the focus away from themselves, but it clarifies the tremendous impact they have on the customer’s journey.

Achieving the state of a flexible guide is critical for today’s customers. They want to feel like they are in control of their own journey. A guide who is capable but is forcing them through the motions and not customizing the experience, will not be well-regarded. The customer feels voiceless and perhaps even manipulated. Interactions like these do not earn loyalty.

A flexible guide, on the other hand, would not immediately force customers down a path of automation anytime there is an issue. They will be proactive to understand the nature of the customer’s friction point and nudge towards the best resolution channel. This will often take the form of making people available to customers, without having to jump through a variety of automated hoops.

Principle Two:
A Sense of Identity

Customer psychology is complex. There are many paradoxical beliefs that lead to unpredictable behaviors. One example of this would be the customer’s desire to both be in control…and to be led to a solution.

man_walking_with_lap_top_front_circles

People are desperate for connection. In a world overcome by isolation, the best brands are finding creative ways to transcend the transactional. They are taking bold steps to help customers feel a sense of identity through their brand association, and it’s paying off.

“What doesn’t seem to pay off is an inauthentic, wishy-washy ticking-off of corporate boxes. Customers tend to view this as dishonest manipulation, and this can quickly invalidate their brand identification and social proof, causing a mass exodus of customers to competitors who empathize with their values on a deeper level” says Mary Drumond, the Vice President of Marketing at Neighborly Software.

Loyalty is being awarded to brands who have a human feel. These are companies that have earned our trust and established a meaningful connection. Relationships like these are forged by authentic ambassadors who care about the organization they are serving and are “on mission” towards a united brand promise. Learn more about how to generate this type of ambassador right here.

Principle Three:
An Ear to Listen

For those that are serious about understanding these rapidly changing customer expectations, enhancing voice of customer (VoC) capabilities might be the most important thing. Our “VoC Engine” (to use a Jeanne Bliss term) is both the power to move the CX initiative down the road, as well as the mechanism we use to measure our success.

female_megaphone

A “v8” voice of customer engine looks like this:

  • Using modern voc technology that is capable of centralizing, organizing, and analyzing customer data of all types, both structured and unstructured.
  • Creating a culture of listening in which customer support professionals take their role of capturing and protecting the customer’s voice very seriously.
  • Using modern cx metrics that represent real customer outcomes, not just hypothetical comparisons. Cx leaders are finding inspiration from the function of “customer success”, adopting metrics like a customer engagement score and customer lifetime value.

An outdated voc program is preventing many organizations from understanding customer expectations at the level required to personalize. As an example, knowing when to exceed an expectation versus simply striving for a consistent delivery with the best outcomes.

Conclusion

CX leaders have the power to future-proof our business through customer-centric innovation. But this can only happen if we make the investment to truly understand changing customer psychology. There is no predicting how the customer of tomorrow will think and behave. Forward-thinking CX leaders will build a capable voice of customer engine today that will place their organization on the road to long-term success.

Arise can help on the path to customer connection. Our consulting team specializes in understanding the unique nature of customer expectations, and how to best accelerate customer experience transformation. Book a free consultation with us here.

Additionally, Arise offers an extensive network of independent Service Partners who embrace the flexible guide mentality. Having the right people at the right time for these critical service interactions is proven to set you apart from the competition. Learn more about our flexible model that has redefined contact center outsourcing.

Blog Sources:
https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/resources/costs-benefits
https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/remote-work-statistics/
https://fortune.com/2022/04/14/inflation-americans-gig-economy-work/

The post Keeping Pace: A Guide To Rapidly Changing Customer Expectations appeared first on Arise.

]]> 5 Unique Ways to Show Love to Your Customers https://www.arise.com/blog/5-unique-ways-to-show-love-to-your-customers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-unique-ways-to-show-love-to-your-customers Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:03:00 +0000 https://newarisedev.wpenginepowered.com/?p=2470 Being there for our customers seems especially important this season.

The post 5 Unique Ways to Show Love to Your Customers appeared first on Arise.

]]>

Here we are again in the season of love. When we think about our customers, Katharine Hepburn says it perfectly…”Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you are expecting to give–which is everything.”

Here we are again in the season of love. When we think about our customers, Katharine Hepburn says it perfectly…”Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you are expecting to give–which is everything.”

Being there for our customers seems especially important this season. Gartner predicts that “by 2026, 75% of customers who call customer service and support organizations will do so out of loneliness, not because they have a customer service issue.”

This means we can really make a big difference for people when we put in the effort! Here are five ways that you can show love to your customers all year long:

1. The Gift of Time

Without a doubt, one of the greatest gifts we can give to our customers is time back in their pocket. Stress is off the charts for the vast majority of people. When Brands can be there to make lives a bit easier, and even be proactive in thinking about future friction points, customers will be extremely grateful. To learn more about how to create an effortless experience for customers, check out Gartner’s article “Effortless Experience Explained.”

"Customer loyalty depends on how easy you make it for your customers to do business with you"

Gartner

2. The Gift of the Guidance

What customers really need is a confident and capable guide. Someone that understands their definition of success, and is committed to helping them get there. To quote Building A StoryBrand: “THE CUSTOMER IS THE HERO, NOT YOUR BRAND”. When positioning customers as the hero and Brands as the guide, Brands will be recognized as a trusted resource to help customers overcome their challenges.

A gift that symbolizes this relationship and commitment as a guide can go a long way. Depending on how deeply you know your customer and their interests, something like a figurine of Yoda, Dumbledore, Galadriel, Mr. Miyagi, or another “guide” character they love…along with a thoughtful card…could be just the ticket.

Alternatively, sending them a blank Lego base with a small kit of blocks and a note saying “excited to build something great with you” is a gift any customer would appreciate!

Alternatively, sending them a blank Lego base with a small kit of blocks and a note saying “excited to build something great with you” is a gift any customer would appreciate!

3. The Gift of Knowledge

One of the most powerful things we can do for another human being is to help them learn and be aware. And it’s soooo easy to do! Are you reading an amazing book that is relevant to customers? SHARE with them the book and its amazing take-aways. Suddenly, you are growing smarter together, which is one of the galvanizing, loyalty-generating, forces in the world. Learn more about the gift of knowledge by checking out our blog post “Learning Is Best Done In Community.”

"As we think about a learning strategy for customer support resources, it's time to move well beyond a focus on compliance. Customer support responsibilities have changed dramatically; it's time that our approach to learning did as well."

4. The Gift Chocolate. Or Really Anything.

I’m amazed at the power of Thnks, and how easy this tool makes it to give thoughtful, personal gifts to people we care about. It used to be that sending things in the mail was such a massive hassle (especially with people working from home these days) but Thnks truly makes it easy. All that’s needed is the recipient’s email address. I used it to buy a box of Omaha Steaks for a podcast guest and she raved about it for weeks. You will find several items here that are sure to be a wonderful surprise!

5. The Gift of Influence

Without a doubt, one of the greatest ways Brands can honor customers is by giving them a strong voice and a feeling of being essential. This is a true CX professional superpower. Providing real exposure and input regarding the future of products and services can take the partnership to the next level. With skin in the game, customers will not only be loyal but will be vocal ambassadors eager to share a Brand they were able to participate in. To quote Lisa Bodell; “Change cannot be put on people. The best way to instill change is to do it with them. Create it with them.”

“Change cannot be put on people. The best way to instill change is to do it with them.
Create it with them.”

female_business_professional

Lisa Bodell Founder and CEO

Futurethink

However love is shown this season, designing an exceptional customer experience is a gift from which so many benefit. Customers’ lives are better and easier. Agents have better relationships and more meaningful interactions. Businesses grow in a sustainable, lasting way as happy customers bring more happy customers. It’s very exciting the impact we can have! 

The post 5 Unique Ways to Show Love to Your Customers appeared first on Arise.

]]>