The quest for greater connectivity has disrupted education and entertainment, transformed how government connects with constituents, changed our shopping behavior, established new business models, and powered healthcare in a new century.
Data has stepped from behind the scenes to take its place as marketer’s best friend. Data permeates customer interactions, and organizations gain trust and credibility based on how well they can turn customer data into relevant, actionable insights that improve the customer experience.
But the increased opportunity created by this marketing data also brings with it some challenges for digital experience buyers: organizations now need to support a seemingly endless number of digital touchpoints to create the ideal customer experience, and they need to keep up with their customers’ changing digital preferences.
Digital experience buyers face many challenges today, including the need to:
Innovate (and Iterate)
Digitally-driven companies are challenged by new business models, new modes of engagement, and increasing demands for time and cost efficiency. Innovation is the only way to succeed in this hyper-competitive world. Buyers are tasked with choosing a platform that is compatible with scalability options down the road — not just a good fit for their company’s current needs.
Think about what your company and its customers might need five, 10 or even 15 years down the road. Will your platform support any changes needed? Planning ahead will mean less time getting bogged down by roadblocks if your needs exceed what your technology set is capable of.
Prioritize Process and Efficiency
Forrester Research calls this the “The Age of the Customer.” Make IT decisions with customers top-of-mind. If processes aren’t streamlined behind the scenes, that will come through loud and clear in the external-facing customer experience. Pay attention to a platform’s ability to unify people, roadmaps, strategies and technology around three common goals: to win, serve and retain customers.
Learning Opportunities
Webinar
Mar
21
Ready to Level Up Your Learning? Discover Your Learning Maturity Score
Learn how to level up your learning program in this free, interactive workshop
Webinar
Mar
29
The CX Commute vs. the CX Joy Ride
Is your CX traffic holding up your customer's journey?
Webinar
Mar
29
Is Your Microsoft 365 Data Recoverable? How to Survive the IT Hotseat When Data is Lost
See why MIcrosoft recommends third party backup
Webinar
Mar
30
An Optimized Customer Contact Strategy Combines Transparency and Intelligence: The State of Outbound Communications
Learn from the Neustar-commissioned Forrester Consulting study on challenges and solutions for contact centers
Conference
May
10
CMSWire CONNECT Customer Experience Conference - Austin 2023
Don't miss the top customer experience and digital experience conference of the year — live in Austin, Texas May 10-12.
Conference
May
10
Reworked CONNECT Employee Experience & Digital Workplace Conference Austin 2023
North America's best employee experience and digital workplace conference of the year — live in Austin May 10-12, 2023.
Here are four questions to ask when deciding what you company’s digital experience should look like:
- What will it take to connect your marketing and sales technology to help you learn more about your customers and deliver better service?
- What will your organization need as an increasing number of transactions and interactions happen online?
- What approach will help you avoid getting trapped and slowed down by business silos?
- What features are you currently missing that are slowing down the launch of new products and campaigns?
Meet Customer Needs in Their Moment of Need
A comScore report from last spring noted that mobile-only Internet users now exceed desktop-only users in the United States. Omnichannel delivery is becoming essential for digital businesses, and every single screen matters more and more. Flexibility and connectivity are keys to building experiences that grab customers’ attention in the right place, at the right time and in the right way.
The omnichannel imperative brings with it the challenge of consistency from one device to the next, and the need to provide a customer journey fueled by personalization. It's no longer enough to publish compelling content that makes a user want to buy a product. Customer journeys don't end at the purchase.
Use each sale as an opportunity to gain greater insight — insights that reveal customer behavior and buying trends that will help you support shoppers long beyond the purchase.
The decisions digital experience buyers face will have a wide-reaching impact — both internally and externally. While several challenges come with making such a decision, with the right approach, creating a powerful and connected digital presence and building stronger connections with customers will be within your company's reach.
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