{"id":8402,"date":"2020-05-26T14:53:26","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T13:53:26","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=8402"},"modified":"2023-01-17T10:17:38","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T10:17:38","slug":"definitive-guide-customer-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/definitive-guide-customer-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"The Definitive Guide to Customer Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learn all about customer experience, its importance, and how to improve it through our in-depth guide and with our customer experience strategy cheat sheet.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Customer Experience?<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are lots of buzz words and phrases used in the business world. The customer experience (CX) is a prime example. The phrase has become ever more popular of late but is one that\u2019s often misunderstood.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before talking about how important it is, let\u2019s<\/span> explain the concept of the customer experience and<\/span> nail down what the phrase means. In a nutshell, customer experience refers to the impression a firm or brand leaves on a customer. That is the feeling about and view of a brand that results from customer interaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every touchpoint that a customer has with your firm along the customer journey generates an interaction. In combination, they contribute to their overall customer experience. Good, satisfying interactions improve customer experience, and vice versa.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Customer<\/p>\n

Many people are confused about the difference between customer experience and customer service. Customer experience<\/span> goes beyond just good customer service behaviours and<\/span> encompasses the entire customer journey.<\/span> Customer service<\/span><\/a> regards the support customers receive when or after buying a product. <\/span>Your customer service delivery<\/span> is merely one part of the wider customer experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alongside customer service and customer support, the product or service you provide is the other main element of customer experience.<\/span> As companies consider the importance of customer service, they should be aware that<\/span> low quality or faulty products, or poor service provision naturally leads to negative perceptions of your brand.<\/span><\/p>\n

When firms talk of how to<\/span> improve customer experience<\/span><\/a>, they\u2019re often looking for a holistic approach \u2013 a way to go beyond traditional, reactive customer service. Good customer experience strategies seek to predict potential problems. One way<\/span> to maximise the customer experience<\/span> is to preempt issues to ensure they don\u2019t arise. Those issues may relate to how a firm interacts with customers or how products perform.<\/span><\/p>\n\t

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\r\n\t\t\tThe State of Omnichannel in UK Contact Centres<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t

Find more facts about omnichannel,<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t

Download our report The State of Omnichannel in UK Contact Centre<\/p>\r\n\t\t\tLearn more<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n\t\n

The Importance of Great Customer Experience<\/b><\/h2>\n

The adage that the \u2018customer is always right\u2019 is one that all business owners will know. It\u2019s easy for customers to move to your competitor if they\u2019re dissatisfied with your service <\/span>or any aspect of the customer experience<\/span>. In some fields, firms and platforms exist to make the process of switching to competitors fast and efficient. Your customers also have a far greater ability to affect your brand in other ways. Social media and online reviews let them share reports of adverse experiences far and wide \u2013 colouring potential customers\u2019 perceptions of your brand.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the increasingly competitive market within which we operate, providing the best customer experience matters. <\/span>If you\u2019ve been wondering about why customer experience is important for a business<\/span>, a <\/span>recent Adobe report<\/span><\/a> found that B2B firms saw customer experience as the most exciting opportunity for 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"most<\/p>\n

Source:<\/span> Super Office<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Satisfied customers, wowed by your firm, are likely to be your number one marketing resource. Happy customers are likely to make repeat purchases, recommend you to others and share stories of <\/span>how they enjoyed the best customer service experience with your company<\/span>. This brand loyalty can do as much good for you as an expensive marketing campaign. What\u2019s more, those customers are also willing to spend<\/span> up to 86% more<\/span><\/a> for a better customer experience,<\/span> showing just how valuable it can be to improve yours as a business.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no wonder that firms in all niches have come around to the importance of customer experience. By focusing on <\/span>how to improve customer experience<\/span>, firms boost their bottom line. There are four main aspects of how good customer experience can benefit your firm\u2019s finances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reinforce Brand Preference<\/b><\/h3>\n

In a competitive landscape, customers have a lot of choices. When products or services are hard to differentiate, good customer experience can be a key differentiator. It can ensure that customers choose you over your rivals. Brands that provide an exceptional customer experience inspire customer loyalty.<\/span> Looking at the customer experience impact in a less positive form<\/span>, <\/span>32% of consumers<\/span><\/a> will abandon a brand they love after only one bad<\/span> encounter<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reduce Customer Churn<\/b><\/h3>\n

Inspiring loyalty in customers is critical to any firm\u2019s bottom line. Lower levels of customer churn \u2013 customers leaving \u2013 helps increase profitability. It costs a lot less to retain a customer than it does to acquire new customers. Creating an ongoing customer relationship by offering a good product or service, as well as a superior customer experience, makes your buyers more likely to stick with you. <\/span>That customer engagement will often<\/span> continue even if other firms undercut you on price.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspire Customer Advocacy<\/b><\/h3>\n

Word of mouth advertising is lucrative for businesses of all types. In the modern age of social media, positive reviews and testimonials have a significant reach. A recommendation from a friend is even more powerful <\/span>for creating customer engagement<\/span>. Happy, loyal customers make for outstanding brand advocates. Offering memorable customer experience inspires customers to share their stories far and wide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Increase Company Revenue<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the most effective methods to increase profits is to focus on customer retention. Satisfied customers are more likely to purchase from you again, and will spend more on your product or services than a new customer. Their positive word of mouth recommendations can convince others to buy from you for the first time. <\/span>This shows the importance of customer service and the benefits that can come as you improve customer service and the overall customer experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Successful Customer Experience Examples<\/b><\/h2>\n

The best way to improve your customer experience is by ensuring you provide the best experience across every customer touchpoint. This will cover your digital assets, how your product or service is delivered, the quality of that product or service, and customer service. <\/span>All of which combined will help improve your engagement for the best customer service experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the theory. However, there are many ways to go about achieving this goal. The following are three ultimate customer experience examples where firms excelled. <\/span>The fact that these stories <\/span>\u2013<\/span> from companies who understand the importance of the customer in service delivery <\/span>\u2013<\/span> made it into<\/span> the public domain is telling in itself. It shows how useful creating a positive customer experience was to the brands in question. Reading them<\/span> will hopefully provide you with some ideas about <\/span>effective customer experience strategy and best practices to elevate the customer experience you provide<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example 1 – Tommee Tippee\u2019s Use of Social Listening<\/b><\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve already mentioned how you need to be proactive to provide good customer experience. You must think about your customers’ needs, meetings them before they even realise they have them. One excellent and proactive way to find out what people think of your brand is via social listening.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tommee Tippee showed the value of social listening to customer experience in 2016. Late in that year, a desperate father shared on Twitter his <\/span>need to find<\/span><\/a> a very particular two-handled cup. David Carter\u2019s autistic son would only drink from the specific cup, and it seemed to no longer be on the market. <\/span>This is where Tommee Tippee embodied what customer care is all about.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tommee Tippee was the manufacturer of the cup. The firm noticed Mr Carter\u2019s #cupsforBen campaign.\u00a0They went above and beyond simple digital customer communication, finding the original mould and committed to making a special run of 500 new cups.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"tommee<\/p>\n

Through social listening, the company delivered an excellent customer experience for one family. What\u2019s more, the story hit the press and garnered plenty of positive attention around the world, <\/span>showcasing the importance of both customer service and the customer experience in increasing brand awareness<\/span>. The firm was proactive and worked hard to deliver for one customer. The story of how they did so gave a huge boost to their brand perception.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example 2 – Vodafone\u2019s Network Status Checker<\/b><\/h3>\n

Vodafone UK recently implemented a <\/span>Network Status Checker tool<\/span><\/a>. It\u2019s an excellent example of a <\/span>customer engagement platform designed<\/span> to provide a better customer experience. In essence, the Status Checker is an interactive and graphical representation of network performance across the UK. It was the first of its kind in the UK telecoms market <\/span>and provided one of the best customer experience examples of recent years<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through this new customer engagement software<\/span>, Vodafone was preempting customer issues. Without the tool, phone users suffering outages knew they had a problem, but didn\u2019t understand the cause. Their only way of getting info on network-related issues <\/span>via customer interaction channels<\/span> was to call <\/span>a contact centre<\/span><\/a>. That takes time and effort and is something that many people find frustrating.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vodafone decided that a better way of serving customers would be the creation of the status checker tool. This self-service tool <\/span>elevates digital customer communication by<\/span> updating in real-time, and displays both unexpected issues and planned maintenance. Users enter their location and can immediately see what issue is causing the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vodafone<\/p>\n

The advantages of such a <\/span>customer engagement platform<\/span> to Vodafone are two-fold. Firstly, they\u2019re <\/span>improving the customer experience<\/span><\/a> of those suffering network problems. It\u2019s easier for those customers to identify what the problem is and learn when it\u2019ll get solved. Secondly, they reduce the volume of calls to their contact centres. As such, customer service agents have more time and scope to help other customers. <\/span>This is the definition of good customer service and shows that it has real meaning in improving the digital customer experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

The tool <\/span>was an excellent example of a positive customer experience and<\/span> proved a significant success for Vodafone. Within a few months of launch, the firm saw a <\/span>9% reduction in network-related complaints<\/span><\/a>. There were also 54% fewer escalated queries that needed a customer call back. By seeking out a new way to answer customer queries, Vodafone made real strides in improving the customer experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\t

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Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t

RingCentral Office\u00ae offers a complete unified communications as a service (UCaaS) solution with enterprise VoIP<\/a> capabilities.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\tLearn more<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n\t\n

Example 3 – Netflix\u2019s Use of Personalised Recommendations<\/b><\/h3>\n

Few companies have disrupted their industries as effectively as Netflix. The streaming service has changed the way that millions of people watch TV. Personalisation has always been at the heart of their business strategy. Netflix <\/span>are proving themselves to be masters of digital experience management through personalisation, allowing them to<\/span> deliver a compelling customer experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

To achieve the level of personalisation desired, Netflix leans on machine learning. <\/span>Machine learning<\/span><\/a> algorithms <\/span>log users\u2019 preferences<\/span><\/a> of what they like to watch. <\/span>One of the most innovative customer engagement ideas of recent years is how<\/span> the data that is generated is then key to create a personalised user experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Netflix<\/p>\n

Netflix can use that data to create tailored marketing <\/span>sparking unique customer engagement<\/span> for each user. The firm can send recommendations of new shows that they think each user may wish to watch. When users interact with the recommendations, there\u2019s more data to inform future marketing. This <\/span>makes it not only a leading customer experience example, but also a good showcase for how best to use customer analytics<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being able to \u2018discover\u2019 new shows is a vital part of Netflix\u2019s appeal. Users develop a more positive view of the company based on good recommendations. Compare this to how television shows were delivered before the advent of Netflix, and it\u2019s easy to see how this exceeded customers\u2019 expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the <\/span>digital customer experience provided by the<\/span> service was so much better than traditional TV or cable, people recommended the service to their friends and colleagues. By using machine learning as <\/span>part of their customer interaction channels, Netflix was able to not only improve the customer experience, but<\/span> also earn loads of free advertising. <\/span>They\u2019re now leading the way in terms of digital experience trends, and a model for many to follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

5 Ways to Improve Your Customer Experience<\/b><\/h2>\n

The above examples<\/span> of high-quality customer engagement<\/span> may have given you some ideas to improve the customer experience at the firm where you work. If you really want to elevate customer experience, you need to work a little harder. There\u2019s no one customer experience strategy template that\u2019ll work for every company. There are things that every company can do to improve customer interactions<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Good customer experience gives added value to customers through their entire journey with a brand. For that, you need to take a holistic approach that\u2019s also<\/span> customer-centric<\/span><\/a>. What that means is that all areas of your business must focus on customer needs and expectations. The following are five steps towards<\/span> truly valuing the importance of the customer in service delivery and providing<\/span> the ideal experience for your customers.<\/span><\/p>\n