Most markets and industries around the world are overly saturated and heavily competitive. We have more goods and services than we could ever want and this means differentiation needs to be more than clever marketing copy or attractive packaging. As brands, we need to offer something at a deeper level, create a connection with our potential clients and foster that to win loyalty.
The digital customer experience is the combination of all digital interactions a customer has with a brand. This can range from browsing a brand’s website to interacting with the brand on social media. Having consistency across these touchpoints can be difficult to master but it’s in the brand’s best interest.
The digital customer experience requires clarity and optimization across a myriad of touchpoints and interactions. It requires a level of data fluency within the organization and it requires a mindset of excellence. Global brands are finding success in this area by implementing a digital center of excellence strategy.
Get to know your customers
There is very little point in designing a digital experience if you don’t know who your customers are. There, I’ve said it. This may seem painfully obvious but quite often companies design and plan without proper consumer research. As a millennial, I feel personally victimized by this.
Educate your people
Not everyone in the organization, or even marketing, will understand the importance of digital, and more importantly the gravity of the customer experience. The thing is though, if you want to deliver a seamless customer experience, you need to have a digital mindset internally. This will help break down data silos and foster greater collaboration.
Integrate your marketing data stack
As marketers, we have to rely on a multitude of different tools on a daily basis. These tools are rarely integrated and insights have to be aggregated manually, if at all. There is an easier option. With integrated marketing data, companies are seeing increased growth, more effective reporting and increased efficacy for time and spend.
Review and optimize your digital assets
Think about the last website you had a truly joyful experience on. Now, how does yours compare? You website is one of the most important assets in the digital customer experience. It’s literally a store front for your brand and you don’t have long to make an impression.
Iterate and innovate
Your work here is never done. As mentioned, we are complex beings that have changing preferences and evolving wants. What’s more, technological change will consistently influence the customer experience, presenting new ways of communicating and interacting with brands. New disruptive players will enter the market meaning you have to be prepared at all times.
If you need help crafting your overall digital customer experience, hit us up – we are always happy to help.