FEATURE: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
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The digital consumer of
the modern age expects to
have everything; always
and refuses to settle for
anything less. Adrian
Whitehouse, Alliances
Director EMEA and APAC
at Elastic Path, and Tjeerd
Brenninkmeijer EVP of
EMEA at Bloomreach,
talk about elevating the
customer experience to
retain customer interest
and interaction.
Brands who acknowledge this and seek to use
these technologies to innovate and provide
seamless omni-channel experiences to its
customers will be one step closer to success
as a result of increased ROI and customer
loyalty, compared to those who don’t.
At the same time, brands must also realise
that a bad customer experience today is
not just a grumpy cashier or unwelcoming
receptionist. A bad customer experience is
one where the customer is taken through
a disconnected journey, where there is no
cohesiveness between the various channels
to deliver a unified customer experience.
For example, imagine shopping at your
favourite online shop – you fill out your
contact and payment information on their
website to process the order. The next time
you shop there, you do so via the mobile
app but you must fill out all the information
again. That is what a disconnected customer
experience looks like.
An effective, connected customer experience
on the other hand, is about providing all
consumers with the freedom to select how
and when they interact with a brand by
giving them a variety of easy-to-use and
intuitive self-service options where possible.
C
ustomer experience is the pulse
of every business, with consumers
today expecting relevant, convenient
and responsive engagement across every
interaction they have with a brand.
From mobile devices and apps to IoT,
Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial
Intelligence (AI), consumers are exposed
to a vast array of technologies, which has
caused this dramatic shift in customer
expectations. We’re now seeing a new
kind of modern buyer – someone who is
constantly connected, app-native and well-
aware of the potential and opportunities
presented to them by technology.
This remains true regardless of industry or
sector. Whether it’s creating the ultimate
sports fan experience or disrupting the
holiday experience, all brands must ensure
they’re building loyalty and establishing
lifelong relationships with their customers
across multiple touchpoints.
Disrupting the
holiday experience with
Carnival Corporation
One of the world’s largest leisure travel
companies, Carnival Corporation, has
created the ultimate holiday experience
for guests on board its ships through its
innovative OceanMedallion technology,
The next generation of
customer experience has arrived
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INTELLIGENTCIO
www.intelligentcio.com