Customer Experience in the 21st Century: 2-Minute Online Course

Customer Experience in the 21st Century

It’s a fact: satisfied customers often return for more. But what is it that sparks this sought-after satisfaction? The answer, in part, depends on the product or service rolling into the marketplace. Different offerings spur different expectations. What applies to one doesn’t always fit another.

Yet, despite these important differences, several must-dos are essential for satisfying shoppers — no matter what they’re in the market for. They are as follows:

Make it Easy – If a brand makes one’s life easier, it’s gold wrapped in silver. Examples abound throughout the marketing universe. Ever hear of one-day shipping? Online retailers who routinely fulfill this promise reap generous rewards. You know who you are.

Equally rewarded are brick and mortar establishments that do likewise. The pre-prepared meal, already-sliced, juicy-ripe cantaloupe, or conveniently-cooked rotisserie chicken are noteworthy examples. Shoppers may fork over more for these items, but no matter. Up to a certain tipping point, easiness often triumphs over price.

Set Out the Buffet – Increasingly, the satisfying customer experience will depend on product diversity. But variety alone won’t write your next success story. Marketers must shape their generous selections to align with user preferences. Thus, knowing one’s customer is a cardinal rule and critical first-step.

Important note: A buffet of products and services isn’t the only road to brand diversity. Often, enterprises can vary the features of a single product to provide a refreshing selection. Again, it’s all a matter of knowing one’s customer and offering the right blend of options. Prepare to mix n’ match.

Do as the Romans Did – Take it from those ancient Greeks and Romans – didacticism works. A practice that combines education with entertainment, didacticism often was employed to beef up various literary outputs – poems, speeches, want ads.

This combination principle has a big role to play in modern digital and conventional content. Whether employed in online text, video, printed materials, or any other medium, spicing up informative, helpful messaging with entertainment rarely fails to hit the mark. Many a brand has delivered this one-two punch throughout marketing history. With the proliferation of innovative media choices, the opportunities have expanded tremendously.

If you have questions or comments about maximizing the customer experience, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.