According to a newly-released report from eConsultancy and Adobe, customer experience (CX) is the single most exciting digital experience for 2014.
Of the more than 2,500 marketers and Internet professionals who participated in the global survey, “Quarterly Digital Intelligence Briefing 2014 Digital Trends,” CX came out on top at 20% for agency respondents and at 17% for company marketers.
About time, isn’t it?
“If last year was about recognizing the importance of customer experience, 2014 is about actually doing something,” says the report’s authors.
So, what does it mean to “do something” about your customers’ experiences?
The report suggests that an optimal customer experience involves various business functions and customer-facing touch points working in harmony, from customer service and advertising to online user experience, content management and email messaging. All of the other areas covered in the chart below are key building blocks for a great customer experience.
Further, it states that organizations need to ensure they have the right data, technology and culture to act as the foundation for a great customer experience, with a focus on multichannel marketing and campaign management also required to underpin a successful approach. Easy, right?
My take?
The most important factor on the list is having the “right” culture. Without one, organizations can stand on their heads and nothing will change.
If the C-Suite (or smaller business/nonprofit leadership) don’t buy in authentically—not just paying lip service to a great customer experience—then, unfortunately, it has little likelihood of succeeding.
Having a strong customer orientation is the number one criterion to making the other components work. You can have the best data and technology, but if the inside people aren’t really walking their talk, what do you think will happen?
This report section ends with, “Something which is self-apparent but worth noting is that many marketers regard CX as a positive opportunity to make a difference, something which is ‘exciting’ as well as a complex challenge which can be fiendishly difficult to get right.”
I understand the challenges can be daunting, especially in organizations that have “always done it that way.” But, one has to start somewhere. The top sounds like really good place to start.
Is your business or organization on top of its customer experiences? What is it doing right? What can it improve?
This article was originally published by Elaine Fogel
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