Customer experience trends continue to evolve along with technology and social media. Here are a few customer experience trends that your brand should start implementing today.
Be cheeky on social media
Too many South African brands are focused on being very professional and uptight in their communications. While this might be useful in media releases and official statements, let your brand loose on social media a bit. Consider how sassy some of the international brands are on Twitter, like fast-food chain Wendys.
The Wendys Twitter account regularly makes fun of users who accidentally (or perhaps on purpose?) ask them about competitor McDonald’s locations. This earns them millions of retweets, leading to increased brand awareness and attention. You can’t buy that type of online attention with paid search advertising, so consider injecting more personality into your online personas. While it’s worth your while to be cheeky and fun, know where the boundaries are. You definitely don’t want to be offensive and earn a bad reputation on Twitter, because the Twitter mobs could start attacking you online.
Personalised customer communication
According to research by Emarketer, 70% of American retailers are making personalised customer communication a priority this year. Personalisation could mean different things for different brands. If you have personal details of customers, for example, consider sending out an automated congratulations mail on their birthdays, anniversaries or special days.
Also keep an eye on what large companies like Zando and Netflix are doing. They recommend products based on people’s browsing history, which can lead to add-on sales and repeat purchases. If you don’t have this type of data, send your customers a survey or quiz so that you can recommend products based on their preferences.
Educate people
According to a Google study, 48% of smartphone users are more likely to buy from companies whose mobile sites provide instructional video content. There are a variety of instructional video possibilities for virtually any brand. Whether you’re posting product demonstrations or personal advice, make sure you also have video content in addition to written content about your brand.
Make your customers feel heard
Social media is of no use if you aren’t listening to your customers as well. Instead of only sharing content about your brand, reply to complaints and queries. Many airlines have full-time social media staff to keep passengers updated about flight changes. Not every company will warrant constant online interactions, but consider how regularly your brand receives queries and requests on social media and appoint the necessary resources.
Need a marketing agency to help you with your customer experience strategy? Then contact Tradeway today.