In today's increasingly crowded marketplace, customer experience (CX) has become more of a brand differentiator. Luckily, technology continues to evolve, and organizations are pushing the boundaries of what it can do, enabling them to deliver more seamless and satisfying interactions that will strengthen their customer relationships.
In the digital age, technology-driven experiences have gone from being novel to the norm. In fact, consumers now expect digital tech and are often disappointed when it's lacking. Using customer data to personalize the brand experience has become both a competitive advantage and a way to retain customers. A survey conducted by my organization found that 42% of consumers say they'd switch brands if a company didn't provide them with a personalized experience.
The ability to personalize brand engagements is just one reason integrating technology into the modern customer experience is key. With the right combination of tech-based strategies, you can transform your CX for the better.
Create a more personalized experience with omnichannel data
In the age of social and mobile media, customers crave the freedom to engage with brands via multiple channels and devices. They also expect an effortless and consistent CX wherever they are.
So, how exactly can companies provide this? Every time a customer connects with a brand, they create a "digital footprint," a nugget of information that can be used to build data clusters. These clusters reveal key insights about customers' needs, pain points and personal preferences, which can then be used to personalize their particular journey.
To provide the most consistent experience possible, consider adopting a digital enablement solution that links back-end platforms, collates valuable pieces of user data and creates a "golden record" for each customer. As you'll see, this next-gen technology approach can result in enhanced experiences for both customers and contact center agents.
Integrate self-service with machine learning
A top advantage of digital technology is that it empowers customers to help themselves. By introducing self-service and machine learning into the customer journey, businesses can free up customer service agents to address more complex interactions and, therefore, become more efficient.
Machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence, can be used to automate FAQs, as well as to answer queries via chatbots. If there's a simple, repetitive task to be done, machine learning is an excellent option. According to Gartner's vice president of research, Olive Huang, 15% of all customer service interactions will be handled by artificial intelligence by 2021 as companies continue to explore the benefits of this technology.
The rise of self-service customer care makes perfect sense: Personal devices that keep consumers online and connected present an opportunity to leverage channels like mobile and encourage customers to seek out information for themselves at their convenience. Over time, self-service systems will become even more appealing and reliable as companies enlist the help of predictive analytics to deliver more accurate responses.
Train front-line agents with e-learning
Gartner adds that "as the percentage of interactions handled by humans drops, the importance of the remaining interactions rises." In other words, as you adopt self-service tools powered by machine learning, don't overlook the value of your customer service agents who will need to address more complex customer issues with competence, patience and empathy.
Regardless of the type or quantity of technology a company adopts, your front-line agents can still make or break your CX. If a query is complicated or serious enough to be escalated to a human agent, there's a chance the customer could already be frustrated or emotional, so agents need to know how to resolve the issue while taking emotions into account.
For this reason, it behooves companies to prioritize learning and training. Cost-effective, flexible and standardized e-learning -- education that's delivered online -- is a valuable addition to all customer service strategies. Consider programs that are mobile-first so team members can access e-learning systems anywhere, and seek courses that focus on enhancing the agents' critical thinking skills so they can effectively teach problem-solving to their teams during the onboarding process. Many e-learning programs include videos and online quizzes and address subjects like client retention, conflict resolution and team building.
Not only does e-learning stand to improve how agents engage with customers, but it can make your employees feel more satisfied with their work. Investing in their technical skills and training them to handle calls and email queries in the context of different scenarios makes them more effective in their roles, which can ultimately lead to increased motivation. Gamification is also useful for engaging team members with awards and badges, which can have a positive impact on employee retention.
Creating a positive customer experience can be a challenge. With so many new technologies emerging, brands that can harness and adapt them to serve their CX strategy will deliver far more meaningful brand engagements.
