When you hear or see the words "customer experience trends," what comes to mind? Depending on the marketing strategies you believe in or the industry you work in, you may have different ideas about what CX means. But, whether you're a traditional or a digital-savvy, non-traditional marketer, we can all agree that customer experience (CX) has become one of the most important factors in helping a brand stand out from the crowd.
We live in a world where anyone with a small amount of money can start a business and sell their products or services, even if hundreds of others are doing the same thing. But what is what separates sucessfull bussines from those less fortunate? Spoiler alert! It is all about the best customer experience you can offer.
Here, we will guide you on the most important customer experience trends for 2024 to implement and follow!
These days, customers want to solve their problems as quickly as possible. Considering the attention span is lower than ever, they expect organizations to cater to their needs without delay. Let's also consider the fact that customers are well-versed in technology. According to statistics, 81% of all customers attempt to solve their issues by themselves before reaching out to a customer care representative.
This figure demonstrates that customers would much rather tackle an issue independently if they have the right resources. Organizations that invest in such technology greatly benefit from empowered customers.
Start by implementing detailed FAQs, instructions, IVR and a help centre with all essential information.
This brings us to our next customer experience trend to look out for in 2024.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into the business sphere. Offloading many customer support operations to AI-powered chatbots enables organizations to provide better, round-the-clock customer assistance. Let's add the fact that it also drastically cuts operational. Chatbots have been game changers for all enterprises, with adoption rates averaging 45% and being hastened by the epidemic. It is apparent customers are willing to look for the answers themselves. Gartner estimates that by 2030, chatbots will raise a billion service tickets automatically.
Many companies are using bots to automate sales and marketing activities. They are having an even more significant impact on the digital consumer experience. AI chatbots enable brands to expand their service to their most frequently asked questions, allowing them to answer and address issues quickly. AI for customer experience will be a game changer for brands pursuing this customer experience trend.
Traditional data-collection methods, such as surveys, help organizations assess and understand consumer satisfaction. However, they need help keeping up with today's fluctuating data demands. Companies may acquire accurate, unbiased data on customer interactions using predictive analytics, resulting in a more reliable measure of customer experience.
Customers want to feel supported by the business, so they give their trust. This is why keeping a record of all previous interactions and who your customers are will allow you to target your services directly (more on this in the next chapter). Using predictive analytics to power business choices, aided by machine learning, can assist organizations in meeting client needs.
Customers are eager to exchange their information for more significant benefits. Businesses that want to stay ahead of the competition should consider investing more in analytics.
Pro tip: Consider an omnichannel solution that will collect crucial data from all channels!
What's the initial thing that comes to your mind when you hear 'customer experience? You may have varied thoughts based on your personal preferences, interests, or work sector.
It is relatively easy to start a company and offer products or services. The market is saturated with hundreds of others doing the same thing. Earning customers' trust, therefore, is a challenge. In today's climate, success has less to do with the product or service offered and more with the customer experience you provide. A great customer experience is an ongoing process, from when customers discover your brand to when they make a purchase and offer support and post-purchase care.
Making an extra effort to provide personalized experience is thus a core of any customer-oriented company. It is almost becoming a standard. According to Forbes, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that remember them and send them relevant offers.
Without any reservations, personalization is the single most impactful customer experience trend to look out for.
Customers appreciate when companies are open and honest about all elements of their products and services. While some businesses may be hesitant to be truthful for various reasons, customers prefer organizations that embrace and own their truth.
Transparency quickly becomes critical for businesses wanting to separate themselves from the competition. Customers prefer making more informed decisions, so having your business practices accessible is a way to go.
Aim to be more transparent in your interactions with your customers in 2024. Accept and claim your truth!
As personalization and data collection is becoming more and more prevalent, customers are getting concerned about how their data is being used. Governments worldwide attempt to implement legislation to secure customer data, like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). On the other hand, businesses stand to win their consumers' trust when they demonstrate transparency, defined security policies, and adequate regulations for their data.
Maintain an awareness of growing data privacy rules and regulations so that you can conform to the relevant parameters.
However, data is critical in providing customers with a more tailored experience with your company. This is why you must gain your customer's trust by being honest, creating clear security rules, and implementing effective data protection procedures.
According to statistics, 76% of customers said personalized messages were essential in enhancing their consideration of a brand, and 78% said such communication made them more willing to repurchase.
Customers in the digital era are becoming pickier. They quickly recognize when a company is attempting to push its products or services on them and will reject them immediately without hesitation. A better way for organizations is to strategically lure customers in by providing value even before using your product or service. When they need what you have to offer, your content will be like breadcrumbs directing them to you.
The COVID-19 epidemic has significantly changed customer purchasing patterns and behavior. With the digital market flooded with promotional information, organizations now have to alter their focus to 'pulling the customer' rather than 'pushing the product' in the market. They will also have to work more to make digital platforms more participatory to ensure a smooth purchasing experience for customers.
We've already discussed the importance of employee experience in a company's success. It is common knowledge that businesses with happy staff also have the happiest customers. This has also been confirmed in NJSPA research. As a result, many organizations should prioritize providing a gratifying and engaging employee experience while keeping their well-being in mind in the next year. This can help enhance employee morale, leading to better work, goods, interactions with consumers, and, ultimately, a better customer experience.
Organizations with the most engaged staff enjoy more consumer engagement and other benefits such as increased productivity, profitability, employee retention, and workplace safety. If you provide your team with a successful digital workplace and practical online training, they will have everything they need (including incentives) to provide exceptional customer service.
Brands would benefit from rethinking engaging ways to provide distinctive experiences tailored to digital media. Even a physical store can hold live online events that connect customers and admirers from all over the world, erasing geographical barriers and reaching a larger audience than ever before.
Offering subscription options on items or services that convert one-time transactions into recurring ones is another excellent approach to retaining customers and expanding their experience with your company.
A habit loop is a neuronal loop responsible for habit formation. The three main components are the cue, routine, and reward. A hook or cue prompts an action, resulting in a reward and driving investment. Many companies already do this in a variety of ways, with timed push notifications being one of the most prevalent and influential. Suppose you can discover the triggers that activate the reflexive routines that lead to rewards. In that case, you may begin to modify customer behavior, assisting your clients in overcoming bad sentiments and achieving positive results.
Our habits govern almost everything we do as individuals. Habits significantly influence how we interact with one another and with brands. Implementing habit loops helps keep your customers focused and engaged in digital environments.
Customer experience trends are evolving year by year. They often extend far beyond just a product and service. A well-rounded, customer-focused experience includes a whole process. It consists of pre-purchasing interactions, smooth sales processes, customer support, quick issue resolution and non-invasive follow-ups.
Customer experience trends for the year 2024 will be all about meaningful personalization. Focus on elevating every aspect of the customer journey; the use of AI to enable both the companies and the customer to have better experiences; harnessing the massive power of data insights to continuously improve products, services, and the all-important experience, and a special focus on improving EX.
Learn more about how the Live product family can help you support and improve your customer experience strategy.
