"Ignore" the trends

The figure of the customer is central to business today. We look negatively on an organization that doesn't claim to make the customer the center of its business vision, the way it thinks about it and how it develops it.

But do we really understand what the concept of customer experience (CX)? This is just an interesting buzzword and a good one sound bite for a commercial presentation or does it really shape the experience of the organization and the relationship it establishes with its public?

An organization that doesn't integrate basic CX concepts into its strategy means that any focus on trends and novelties in this context only serves to steal attention away from structured opportunities to enhance the brand's relationship with its public. This doesn't mean that you should stop getting excited about the possibilities contained in emerging technologies and tools, but without losing sight of the fact that creating a relationship with your customers and meeting their expectations is a long-term effort.

The real trends in CX will be as relevant a year from now as they are today: understanding your customers, understanding their needs and perceptions, identifying challenges, defining opportunities to improve their satisfaction and acting accordingly. This is an easier proposition to outline than to implement, as systems already in place, the structure of an organization and short-term goals place additional obstacles in the way.

That's why the best bet for CX in 2018 isn't exactly a trend, platform or tool, but rather betting on effectively implementing improved processes that increase customer focus.

No trend can be useful to an organization that doesn't know the basic principles to ensure success in its CX strategy. No level of artificial intelligence personalization can fix a website that doesn't present the relevant information to its recipients, no chatbot will improve customer feedback if your product or service is not relevant, and no augmented reality app will improve the relationship with an audience that has lost trust in the brand to deliver the offer they committed to.

You don't need to assert yourself as a early adopter to improve the relationship with your customers. Trends help to identify possible directions and solutions, but nothing replaces the implementation of a well-thought-out and structured plan, supported by data and metrics, led by insights and puts the customer at the center of its decisions, actions and positioning.

Marta Gonçalves

Managing Partner | Say U Consulting