EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
Customer expectations are always evolving in real-time , but the pandemic really set things into high gear . In fact , according to an independent survey of over 3,000 consumers and marketers in Ireland and the UK that Sitecore commissioned earlier this year , sky-high expectations are the new normal .
Among the survey ’ s findings : 77 % of UK consumers say they are savvier shoppers compared to a year ago , with many having placed first-ever online orders with grocers or high street retailers in the past year .
These newly empowered consumers are also quite different : 71 % say they now view buying as an experience .
Most now expect brands to know their shopping history and provide a consistent experience online and offline , catering to them as unique individuals . In all , 85 % want brands to reward them for their loyalty and over two-thirds say they are more willing to switch to new brands if they aren ’ t satisfied .
MOST NOW EXPECT BRANDS TO KNOW THEIR SHOPPING HISTORY AND PROVIDE A CONSISTENT EXPERIENCE ONLINE AND OFFLINE , CATERING TO THEM AS UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS .
To meet these elevated expectations , it ’ s clear that enterprises must be set up to deliver great experiences to customers in realtime everywhere it matters , including across marketing , sales and service .
In a nutshell , that is why Sitecore is thriving after 20 years of growth . to power everything from content delivery to e-commerce and real-time customer insights .
At the onset of COVID-19 , Sitecore customers like Acura and L ’ Oreal went from primarily being brands consumers experienced in person or through intermediaries to being digital-first by necessity as stores closed and sales channels disappeared . Others , like Deloitte Digital and Johns Hopkins , were suddenly thrust into new public health roles , ramping up content-led initiatives . In each case , Sitecore helped these organisations power deeper personalisation from content to commerce and experience-led growth .
To arm customers well into the future , earlier this year Sitecore announced a US $ 1.2 billion growth plan and commitment to deliver the first-ever truly integrated , SaaS-based digital experience platform .
Sitecore ’ s acquisitions of Boxever , Moosend and Four51 are part of that vision , enabling us to provide enterprises a holistic view of every customer and tap into automation and AI to create a continuous experience that deepens loyalty across every touchpoint .
This expanded vision comes at a time of great industry need – and opportunity . Over 70 % of marketers admit they relied on short-term fixes rather than permanent innovation over the past year , and over 74 % say the first year of the pandemic was the most stressful of their career .
As enterprises plan investments with an eye toward modernising operations and empowering teams post-crisis , we believe there is no better partner than Sitecore .
Sitecore is a global leader in digital experience delivery that is trusted by thousands of brands
DAVE O ’ FLANAGAN , CHIEF PRODUCT
OFFICER OF SITECORE
22 www . intelligentcxo . com