Brand reputation is a big thing, especially in an age of widespread social media use. One negative word from the right person can be enough to close down a business if left to fester like a wound. Even if it’s a big corporation, that damage to their reputation can cost them a lot in the months or even years to come.
Offering the best customer experience is a top priority for businesses in order to prevent this scenario. In the context of business, customer experience refers to the perception a customer has of your brand as they engage with it during the buying process.
How to create good customer experiences, you ask? Actually, there is a lot that goes into it. Each customer differs in several ways, all with their own opinions and preferences. It’s not possible to please everyone, so the next best thing is to commit to appealing to your target demographic.
This is why technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand, its grapevine of connections can be a bane to a business’ image. But on the other hand, it can also aid and provide ways to improve customer experience.
So how can a business use technology to improve its service to customers?
Innovative Ideas To Improve Customer Experience Using Technology
- Omnichannel Communication.
Everyone has a preferred communication channel, whether due to simple preference or other circumstances. One important way on how technology helps businesses is by providing multiple avenues for communication which helps accommodate the majority, if not, all possible customer demographics.
Omnichannel communication, however, is not just about providing multiple channels; it’s about using all of these available channels and centralizing the data gathered across these devices. This creates better customer data and overall data integrity.
With all those mediums and streamlined information, follow-ups and proactive customer service become more efficient. Eliminating repetitive questions helps save time and clears the way for a more in-depth discussion of the issues at hand.
The collected data enables proactive marketing by providing a foundation and assisting in the segmentation of their customers into more manageable categories. This results in an improved targeted advertisement that has the potential to pique the interest of a potential customer.
- Creative use of graphical user interface (GUI).
People in this modern, technologically advanced world need and want more stimulation. Marketers have to keep this in mind alongside the ever changing landscape of design and general design preferences.
These designs have to incorporate both fashion and functionality into equal measures. Because it doesn’t matter if your website looks like the newest Valentino collection if nobody can wear it or if they don’t know how to wear it in the first place.
These are some of the questions that need to be kept in mind when designing your GUI. Whether it’s for a display, a program, fun, or something completely different.
Can a first-time visitor immediately determine how the site flow works? Is it accessible for people with disabilities? Are the words readable? Are the pictures clear? Does your interface load quickly?
- Analytics and other data analysis tools.
How do you use the data that you have gathered? Well, analysis, of course.
There’s a lot of math that goes into running a business. The reality is that you can loathe math with all your heart, but it’s not something you can really escape. However, you can always relegate the task to your devices instead.
It’s not enough to rely on the eye test. After all, we can’t always rely on eyeballing the process, as our internal bias and all that jazz are still considered. You may think that there are more customers than usual. But once you calculate your CAC, retention rate, or churn rate, the results might sing a different tune.
Analytics is another method for anticipating trends and making predictions. These elements are critical in determining the path your business will take and how you will develop strategies to generate more leads.
Using technology also saves time because you can use these tools in real-time rather than waiting for free time.
- Utilizing augmented and virtual reality.
Technology is really something, isn’t it? Virtual reality used to be the content of dreams and science fiction.
Now, it’s so commonplace that it’s used in several industries, like entertainment and fashion. Before anything else, let’s see the difference between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
VR is a completely fictional and immersive environment. Meanwhile, AR is still rooted in reality, but with a few changes, hence the name. It can be said that VR is mostly virtual, while AR is only a fourth virtual.
One way marketers use virtual and augmented reality is by creating 3D renderings of environments and allowing customers to navigate these spaces. There’s also creating 3D renderings of products and allowing customers to scrutinize every inch. One such example of a virtual tour is this rendering of the Tommy Hilfiger Liverpool store made by 360 Virtual Tour.
Augmented and virtual reality are also sources of fun, as demonstrated by games and the use of AI art applications.
- Automation
Repetitive tasks can take up much of the time when running a business. Thanks to technology, you can automate these tasks instead and focus on other tasks that need more extensive attention. When performing these tasks, there will no longer be any opportunity for a mistake to be made by a human.
The company is able to achieve a higher level of productivity and efficiency as a result of the combination of the automated tasks and the decreased likelihood of risks.
- Digitalization of forms.
Nowadays, most companies have their own websites, or at the very least, some of their processes have been digitized. Nothing was truer or more important during the onset of the quarantine blues, when most people were not allowed to leave their homes.
Because digitizing forms enables individuals to complete them remotely and at any time, this eliminates the need for lengthy lines, which can slow down the flow of work. In addition, the data that is collected is streamlined, which eliminates the possibility of data being lost.
By digitizing forms and streamlining data, it’s easier to compile and even analyze the data gathered. One additional benefit is that it simplifies and expedites the process of keeping information up to date.
- Security
Of course, one shouldn’t forget the value of security. Equipping your site or facility with some tight security measures is a great way to earn a customer’s trust. After all, they are entrusting their safety and the safety of their money to you.
Customers are more likely to return for subsequent transactions if you secure your interactions and transactions. Your brand then becomes a preference, no matter its price point. Convenience ends up being another selling point for the product.
Conclusion
It is never easy to come up with new ideas to improve the experience that a company gives for its customers. However, thanks to technological advancements, many previously locked doors have become open. As a result, there was more room for creative expression as well as features that were previously unavailable.
Improving the experience that a company provides for its customers can only benefit the company. It’s like an endless circle. All that is required is that a cheerful attitude be maintained. If it begins to head in the wrong way, take corrective action as soon as possible to break out of the loop.