Customer Champions’ predictions for customer experience professionals
Predictions for Customer Experience Management, some practical issues
As Customer Experience Management continues to be a focal point for an increasing number of organisations, we at Customer Champions are seeing the following trends emerge from last year and would make the following practical predictions for the coming year:
- An increase in the desire to obtain further insight into customer’s experience and requirements beyond headline measures. Companies that have implemented headline feedback programmes using such measures as Net Promoter Score are now seeking further qualitative and quantitative insight that helps them understand and drive improvement in their NPS score
- The need to analyse this growing data source to ensure the insight is captured and effectively acted upon. In a B2B environment the relatively small number of customers allows for two primary routes for analysing qualitative feedback. Firstly taken at an individual customer level the commentary can prove to be invaluable input into account reviews and account plans. Secondly when looking to identify the common themes and issues that customers talk about the development and use of a code frame will support maximising the value
- Although the impact of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) across Europe on market research is still lacking total clarity there will be an impact on businesses who haven’t planned to seek their customers’ specific permission for market research, and post its implementation in May 2018 this will impact feedback programmes
- The benefits of a well-defined brief for the required outcomes from a Customer Experience programme will become increasingly valued. There will be increased recognition that an opportunity has been missed if companies simply ask third party providers to supply an ‘NPS style’ survey. There is so much more to consider if the company is to maximise the value it gets and delivers to its customers
- The utilisation of Account Based Marketing will grow within the B2B environment and customer feedback programmes will be linked into their development and ongoing execution
- Customer Journey Mapping will continue to be a heavily used tool, but without clear ownership of it at a senior level within the business it will struggle to deliver its potential benefits to many functions. Too many companies are still seeing the tool as a workshop experience and not one that can form the basis of operational excellence from a customer’s perspective
- The customer insight available through employees will gain increasing recognition, particularly when seeking to gain further insight into root causes of customer concerns
- Survey fatigue will encourage organisations to focus their feedback requests in targeted aspects of the customer experience, which also may be areas where there is the strongest possibility of action
- Companies will aim to achieve a stronger link between their brand values and their customer’s experiences. Companies will see the need to deliver their brand promises by ensuring employees not only fully understand these promises but have a clear view on how they can deliver them
- In increasingly competitive markets, with strong levels of cost pressure, customers will be seeking value for money from their suppliers as a key determinant of their loyalty.
Having reviewed a number of organisations predictions we have attempted to look at practical issues that will help our clients improve their customers’ experiences during the year ahead.
If you would like to discuss any of the above please do get in contact with us.
Alternatively if you would value some guidance on how to produce a brief to gain support in any of the above areas we can help.