The customer experience (CX) is the sum of all the interactions that customers have with a company through multiple channels, such as through customer service software. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just the few minutes that the customer interacts with the company's employees. Having such a short-term view is likely to give a distorted picture, suggesting that customers are happy and satisfied when they are not. A better customer service approach is to take into account all the touch points through the customer’s journey, starting from awareness of a product to the final purchase and delivery.
When such a long-term view of customer satisfaction is taken, it gives a grounded picture of the state of customer experience, and more importantly, it helps companies to develop the right strategies to improve it.
Below are some proven strategies to improve CX that are based on the long-term approach.
Create a Financial Model
One good way to improve CX is to have a financial model, so that the manager can secure the necessary resources. In this model, opportunity cost and rate of non-converters should be taken into account.
Appropriate Training
Employees should be given appropriate training to handle customers' needs. To provide this training, the interactions between employees and customers should be monitored regularly using technologies such as call recording. Based on this information, employees should be empowered with the right tools and training to improve their productivity, according to Jeanne Landau of Business2Community.
Focus on the Customer, Not on the Product
One mistake that many companies make is that they focus on the product, and not on the customer. As a result, their strategies revolve around figuring how to sell instead of engaging with customers and improving the CX.
Using Multiple Channels
It is important to use as many channels as possible to engage with customers proactively because these channels will give the company a better idea of the needs and expectations of users. With this information, products and services can be tailored to meet their expectations that in turn will lead to higher CX.
In short, the above strategies can help to improve CX, which in turn will boost the profitability of the company in the long-run.
Edited by Alisen Downey