As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Angie Tay, Executive Vice President and Group Chief Operating Officer at TDCX, outlines three ways companies can win over the hybrid customer.
Consumers are embracing a digital future, increasingly using online and offline channels to make purchases. There are numerous studies and statistics that prove this point, from Google stating that 85 percent of shoppers will start a purchase on one device and finish on another to eMarketer finding that the number of US mobile buyers is expected to reach 187.5 million in 2023, up from 170.3 million in 2019. Bundled with the growth of such trends are customer expectations for a seamless and personalized experience across all touchpoints. Hence, the hybrid customer presents many challenges but also opportunities for businesses.
How, then, can businesses live up to and, better yet, exceed such expectations and provide a smooth and effortless purchasing experience across all touchpoints in the buying process? Given the resources it takes to target and engage with a consumer, it would be a massive letdown if these efforts were met with cart abandonment at the end of the purchase journey.
Leverage Technology to Provide an Omnichannel Experience
Businesses must prioritize omnichannel integration to provide a seamless experience across all touchpoints. Without well-integrated systems and platforms, the company would not have a unified view of the customer, which in turn hampers its ability to provide continuity in the customer experience.
With the bird’s eye view of the customer, companies can also provide personalized recommendations and promotions across all channels. To achieve this, businesses should invest in technology that supports omnichannel integration, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and marketing automation platforms. They can also consider tapping the expertise of an experienced CX services provider with expertise in areas such as CRM, marketing automation, and data management to achieve this integration.
Data-Driven Personalized Experiences
Whether in-person or online, customers still and will always value personalized experiences over cookie-cutter ones. Customers are often likely to pay more when they receive a tailored experience. According to Salesforce.com, 88 percent of customers say a company’s experience is as important as its products or services.
Businesses must therefore leverage customer data to understand their needs and preferences and develop tailored recommendations and promotions that drive customer interest and engagement. This requires collecting and analyzing data across all touchpoints to gain a complete view of the customer. This is something that leading companies, especially new economy firms, have embraced to drive deeper engagement with their customers.
Continuous Improvement
Creating great CX involves thinking two steps ahead of the customer. A customer-centric organization puts consumer needs and preferences at the center of its operations and constantly explores ways to better the experience. In doing so, businesses can quickly resolve issues as they arise and make incremental refinements to the customer journey, all of which go a long way in driving customer satisfaction. While ideal in theory, there are often operational challenges to this. With many competing priorities, many businesses do not have the bandwidth to adopt such best practices.
It may not be an easy journey to win over the hybrid consumer, but it isn’t impossible. It requires businesses to adopt an omnichannel approach that integrates online and offline channels, leverages customer data for personalization and continually explores ways to enhance the customer experience.
Businesses should also remember that they don’t have to do this alone. If they want to go far, go together. Outsourcing CX services providers can provide businesses with the expertise, scalability, technology, and customer service excellence needed to win over the hybrid consumer. By partnering with an experienced CX services provider, businesses can overcome the challenges of serving hybrid consumers and deliver a seamless and personalized omnichannel experience that drives revenue and loyalty.