In the commercial landscape shaped by changing consumer behaviors and steady technological advancements, any business thinking of becoming successful has to make the principle of customer centricity an integral part of its operations.
As companies grapple with the essential need to stand out among fierce competition, the spotlight falls on the role of exceptional customer experience. Beyond mere recognition of its importance lies the pressing urge for a deeper understanding of customer needs and preferences. In this era of heightened expectations, companies must shift their focus to thrive by embracing a customer-centric approach that transcends some of the more traditional approaches.
Listen, learn, and leverage
Considering rapid technological development of society at large, the evolution of customer behavior, and growing expectations, it comes as no surprise that 82% of companies reckon that excellent customer experience is a way to stand out among the competition.
The focus moving forward will be on an even deeper understanding of your customers’ needs, with various SaaS applications supporting the process of collecting insights and implementing communication strategies keeping clients and the center, aiming to increase their satisfaction and engagement.
Shifting the center of gravity
Despite the fact that companies staying customer-centric are 61% more profitable, there still seems to be a disproportionate level of focus on products and services at the cost of properly understanding customer needs, goals, and issues they experience. Shifting the organizational lens towards customer-centricity will not only help you grow revenue but also contribute to cultivating enduring customer relationships.
Strategize for satisfaction
When implementing a customer centric approach, a great starting point is a cross-channel communication strategy. At its core, it employs any number of channels to reach the client.
The way they interact with the received message may trigger further communication via other means, so the channels are working in unison. This makes the buyer’s journey more seamless, while not making the messaging too forceful.
The customer becomes the focal point, as the original decision to engage is his in the first place. The interaction informs future communication, influences the design of the overall experience, and delivers tangible data for analysis. As soon as a cross-channel campaign is launched, you become primed to collect data that will help you to better understand and later anticipate the wants and needs of the customer, laying the ground for a lasting relation.
Looking at a 140% increase in spend after a positive experience, businesses simply can’t ignore a customer-centric approach. The philosophy must break beyond the traditional marketing and support departments and permeate the entire organization, top to bottom.
