Editorial
The Gist
- Disruption brings opportunity. While tariffs stir uncertainty, brands can increase revenue and loyalty by investing in emotional connections and meaningful experiences.
- Think tactically, not traditionally. From interest-free installments to transparent pricing signals, smart CX tweaks can reduce purchase friction during economic stress.
- Use AI and micro-moments to stand out. AI-driven efficiencies and emotion-rich micro experiences like Delta’s “Delta Sync” can help brands forge stronger bonds amid consumer hesitation.
This whole "tariff" problem is a good thing.
Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you — buckle up, we are in for some interesting times over the next few months as these newly announced trade tariffs imposed by the Trump administration take place.
From price increases to budget cutbacks, brands are facing rough seas as they try to find ways to navigate consumer spending pauses and uncertainty around the future of the economy, particularly around the idea that global recession could make its way into the mainstream.
Table of Contents
- Tariffs: An Opportunity to Boost Customer Loyalty?
- Get Tactical With Your CX
- Tariff Chaos: AI to the Rescue for CX
- Accentuate Emotion and Connectivity
- Disruption Demands Action: Choose a Customer-Centric Future
Tariffs: An Opportunity to Boost Customer Loyalty?
However, I see this as a good thing for brands, specifically around the idea that I’m under the impression that brands can actually increase revenue, customer loyalty and customer engagement during these tough times.
Wait, what? Say that again? Have you lost your mind? Not entirely, but I do believe one of the secrets to surviving this challenge time is cheap beer. Okay, now I know you’ve lost your mind – what are you talking about?!
Do I have your attention now? I hope so. Let me explain.
One of my favorite articles that I’ve written discussed the correlation between recessions and cheap beer, and how the secret sauce to continuing to connect with customers during challenge times lied not necessarily in the product itself, but what the product stands for, how it makes the customer feel, what emotions it evokes.
As dollar-strapped college kids typically do, they drink beer that’s cheap. However, the beer is just a vehicle for experience. And as my article discusses, later in life, the beer brand represented nostalgic, emotion fueled memories of times past that brought our friend group back together years later.
And here’s the point: the secret in surviving and thriving during these treacherous tariff times isn’t to spend less on your customer and their experiences, it’s to spend more.
Here are three tactical ways for your brand to connect and accelerate during times of tariff turmoil:
Get Tactical With Your CX
Big CX ideas and plans may be put on hold from branding executives, as purse strings tighten. However, there are ample opportunities to get super tactical with offering up small, yet effective changes to experiences that give customers additional reassurances.
Helping Customers Navigate Economic Concerns
Amid economic uncertainty, brands can take proactive steps to ease buyer anxiety and maintain trust. These tactics support transparency, affordability and financial flexibility.
| Scenario | Customer-Focused Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Products impacted by tariffs | Use icons to clearly indicate which products are or aren’t affected by tariffs | Promotes pricing transparency and builds customer trust |
| High-end, expensive items | Suggest affordable, comparable alternatives | Helps customers find value-based options during tighter budgets |
| Longer sales cycles | Offer installment payments with no interest or job-loss return guarantees | Reduces purchase risk and increases buyer confidence |
The idea here is to think like your customers: what would you want or be worried about? Many customers may not buy your products because they can’t afford it yet. But many may also be worried that they may lose their job and are penny pinching wherever possible. By understanding the psychological state of your customers, you can make tactical changes that are likely to address their concerns.
But you know your customer best. Look back at previous Voice of the Customer exercises, current customer analytics and behavioral insights. Find and identify patterns that are likely to be disruptive because of tariffs and get creative with tactical ways to elevate these concerns.
Additionally, think of it this way: your competitors are likely considering the same sort of changes. And, maybe, they won’t make them because they want to "wait and see what happens." Well, doesn’t this present a fantastic time for your brand to MAKE those changes, grab some of your competitors customers and bring them into your brand family.
When the dust settles, you’ll have a leg up on your competition, and your revenue stream.
Related Article: Modern Voice of the Customer Analysis: Beyond Surveys
Tariff Chaos: AI to the Rescue for CX
Is it truly a CX article these days without talking about AI? Listen, I get it. AI is everywhere. However, in this particular instance I do believe AI can help create efficiencies and new customer experiences that will help brands during this time.
On the efficiency side, look at where AI can step in and help with things like customer service, content creation and media spend analysis. Arm your employees with AI toolsets that help them increase creativity through deeper levels of understanding of customers and their behaviors. Try to find ways to eliminate higher call volumes by letting AI personal shopping and chat agents do some of the initial lifts around common customer requests, giving your CSR teams the ability to handle higher touch, white glove interactions which will enhance customer loyalty and purchase intent.
On the experience side, take a page out of what Wayfair has done with MUSE; their new interactive, immersive shopping experience that helps customers find products based upon uploaded photos of their actual rooms. New experiences like this help remind customers why they started shopping with your band in the first place and can easily help them when it comes to finding products that might be at lower costs, especially if you add a "tariff free" filter on the immersive experience to give customers the option to see only products not hit by tariffs. (Wayfair, I’ll take the patent credit on that).
Related Article: Retail's Renaissance: Why Shoptalk Was All About Customer Emotion
Accentuate Emotion and Connectivity
If there’s one thing tariffs, recessions or anything else for that matter can’t touch, it’s the emotional connection that your brand has with your customers — and that’s tariff-free. Recently, I wrote about the idea of "micro experience economics," where by brands have the unique opportunity and privilege to connect deeply with customers on an emotional level, through experiences that may not cost an arm and a leg to create.
Want a real-life example? Of course you do. Delta’s newly announced Delta-Sync is a GREAT example of a micro experience that yields big results. Delta Sync allows customers to login to their SkyMiles account to do things like finish watching shows or movies from previous flights, build custom tailored playlists and soon, be able to watch their favorite creators on YouTube, directly on their seat back screens.
YES! This. This is how you can connect deeper with customers using existing technology already in place. Take a page from Delta, see what customer touchpoints are already in place and find ways to make them more meaningful to your customers. Now if Delta only let you browse ecommerce sites and make purchases during flights. (I’ll take the patent credit for that too, Delta.)
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Disruption Demands Action: Choose a Customer-Centric Future
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, disruption breeds opportunity; it always has and always will. The question is, “how will your brand approach disruption with optimism?” As Dante Alighieri was once interrupted saying, “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.”
In this time of turmoil, of brand moral crisis if you will, you must pick a side, pick a path, pick a future for your brand that puts and keeps your customers at the core of everything your brand stands for.
There is disruption, yes. But there’s also opportunity. Sieze it, embrace it and use it as the foundation to the future of exceptional customer experience and loyalty. After all, your customers are depending on you.
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