What if your efforts to utilise your data – intended to deliver a seamless experience – are actually scaring your customers off?
We’ve compiled 7 misconceptions that might be giving your customers the shivers, along with our ghostbusting advice to help you avoid them. Follow our tips to deliver an effective, data-driven customer experience.
1 – Scaring your customers with too many messages
Our research shows that 90% of UK consumers have unsubscribed from retailers in the past 12 months, with nearly half of them citing too many messages as the reason.
If you’re a fan of the ‘spray and pray’ tactic, then you’re probably bombarding your customers with too many messages. Rather than boosting your results, this approach is likely to send your customers running straight into the arms of your competitors.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be contacting customers, but by harnessing customer data, you’ll be able to deliver contextually relevant, cross-channel messages, impressing them and boosting your sales.
2 – Alienating your customers with a one-size-fits-all approach
If you’re trying to optimise the customer experience, then you need to move quickly away from the assumption that what’s worked well with one customer is directly transferable to the rest.
And we’ve got the stats to prove it, with research showing that 46% of customers would be encouraged to click if promotional offers were tailored to their likes and dislikes.
Personalisation is central to delivering a great customer experience. When you know your customers – and can prove to them that you understand what they’re looking for – they’re far more likely to buy and be loyal to your brand.
3 – Confounding your customers with disparate communications
If your data is held in silos with no centralised hub, then it’s likely that your customers are receiving non-cohesive communications from various departments of your organisation. In other words, they’re not enjoying a consistent brand experience – and if they are receiving the right message at the right time, it’s a matter of pure luck.
So, what’s the solution?
A centralised hub – in the form of a customer engagement platform – will give you the power to be consistent and strategic in your communications, keeping your business ahead of the curve.
4 – Flitting between manual processes
When you’re trying to manage your budget amidst reduced resources, it’s tempting to manually manage your systems and operations. However, this is definitely a case of false economy. Ostensibly it’s cheaper, of course, but when you factor in the inevitable human error, it’s not only more expensive but more time consuming.
Avoid the ghost train to disaster by aligning and automating your processes. By doing so, you’ll save your business a vast amount of unnecessary work.
5 – Chillingly oblivious to customer feedback
Are you monitoring retention rates and using this data to build customer loyalty? Customer feedback gives you the insight you need to improve the customer experience.
When you track and analyse your data, not only do you have the power to make evidence-based decisions about investing in marketing. You’ll also have the ability to optimise the customer experience, and that will boost loyalty and give you the evidence to validate your strategy.
6 – Haunting your customers on the wrong communication channels
A 2016 survey found that 58% of businesses said that phone was their most popular channel, with 18% citing email and 17% social media. This is problematic. Not only is phone the most expensive way to manage complaints, but it also requires the most customer effort.
That isn’t to say that there’s no place for a good old-fashioned phone call. But if you’re using it for straightforward enquiries, you’re wasting resources and increasing the likelihood of unnecessary friction.
How about trying messenger apps? They’ll reduce your costs and increase productivity as your team can hold around 10 conversations at once. And you’ll never have to deal with the fallout that results from keeping your customers waiting. Remember, you need to prioritise channels that are effective and convenient for your customer.
7 – Scared of disruptive tactics so carrying on the way you’ve always done things
If you’re delaying making changes to the way you use your data, you risk getting left behind by the competition. Consumers today demand a data-driven strategy to deliver the experience they’ve come to expect. Fail to deliver and they’ll look elsewhere.
Don’t be scared to embrace the technology that could transform your relationship with your customers.
Cross-channel engagement harnesses the power of everything from SMS to email and social media, helping you improve customer engagement and increase your efficiency. With that approach, you’ll be thrilling your customers rather than scaring them off.
Get in touch to learn more about how we can help you use disruptive technologies to transform the customer experience.
