Helen Luty, head of customer services, Landmark Information Group
In a ‘digital-first’ world, we have become increasingly reliant on technology to pave a smooth path for customer interactions in many aspects of business. It has never been more important to remind ourselves that customers remain at the very heart of our businesses.
Understanding how best to deliver a personalised service and reach out to customers ‘emotionally’ in a digital world is key, so that services can be consumed how, when and where it suits customer preferences.
Data from recent market research certainly backs this up; a study from Glance reported that 78% of customers have backed out of a purchase due to a poor customer experience, while data from Salesforce Research found that a significant 89% of consumers are more likely to make a repeat purchase after receiving a positive customer service experience.
I was delighted to be invited to talk at the UK Series of the Chief Customer Officer (CCO) Live virtual conference, where I discussed how to keep evolving the customer experience in a digital world.
Joined by Vasudha Khandeparkar, Head of Channel Analytics at Barclays and Robyn Cattermole, Head of Customer Experience, KCD JV for Thames Water, we discussed the role email plays today and whether it remains a valid channel for customer interactions. Personalisation is king and being able to offer a seamless service via multiple touchpoints is an important consideration in todays CX world, in order to keep customers engaged.
We also considered the impact of the pandemic and its impact on customers’ behaviour and, without doubt, the way consumers interact with brands has changed. Research by Acquia found that since the beginning of the pandemic 77% of UK consumers say their digital experience with brands has changed and a further 4 out of 10 consumers now buy more online than they did before, creating different demands on customer service teams.
More customers than ever before are embracing digital, as the pandemic has switched people away from physical contact to digital customer service. The way organisations interact with customers in a digital setting is more important than ever, so customers feel fulfilled, understood and valued.
