Two Ways Customers have Changed, and Two Ways to Lead the Pack
We think you’ll agree with us when we say, “The challenge companies have is that technology is changing the way customers behave.” With the sheer amount of information, it’s hard to keep up.
To help, we’re pointing out two crucial ways in which customers have changed and two ways for you to stay at the forefront of your industry.
Two crucial ways in which customers have changed
1. — Customers are in control — and that’s how it will stay.
They want personalised, transparent, and respectful relationships. To be able to provide this, you’ll have to know your customers. Companies can gain knowledge and insight about their clients and the keys to segmenting them through analytic practices such as profiling and cluster analysis with big data. If you don’t know your best customer segments or use effective segmentations in your communications, let this be the starting point in your analytic journey.
2. — Customers have in-demand desires
Personalized communications require an agile and swift response from brands that want to remain relevant and drive consumer loyalty. Luxury marketers, for example, can find the tools they need to maintain relevance by embracing data and analytics. Develop 1:1 bespoke marketing strategies based on their interests and their perceptions of luxury.
Two ways to lead the pack
1. — Technology has to be part of your marketing and sales team
Let technology work for you, and make your employees’ tasks easier to reach your organisation’s goals. Talk to your marketing team. Do they know about the new social media tools that can improve your engagement? Do you use CRM software for the sales team? And what about new technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, 360-degree videos, and drones? They all sound very futuristic for some people, but they are already here, and brands are using them.
2. — Be the first one
The first big successful cases always get the media’s attention, and of course, customers’ attention. They are eager for news.
It’s easier to experiment with new technologies in the early stages. You get people’s eyes, and at the same time, your company gets some fresh air by being associated with new technologies. If the campaign is done well, customers recognise the effort that has been put into improving their experiences. They will remember these good experiences and talk about your company.
Can you imagine being the first brand in your segment that does a VR tour in your stores or that offers an app using AR? This will WOW your customers!
Just go for it. In one year, the market will be packed with brands rushing to build their VR tour or AR app, and yours is going to be just one more in the crowd. Do it now, and stand out. It’s not about keeping up anymore; it’s about leading the pack.