Understanding the NOW Customer –> 2 Key Things to Know for 2021
Expectations are high and patience is low. Without meeting the customer service demands of the NOW Customer, brands put revenue and reputation at risk.
The NOW Customer expects an on-demand customer service experience at every turn. With the rapid acceleration of online shopping in 2020, the NOW Customer is here to stay. This is truer than ever in 2021, when online sales are expected to reach between $1.14 trillion and $1.19 trillion. Additionally, 45% of consumers plan on shopping online even as more people get vaccinated and the economy reopens.
So, how can companies better understand the NOW Customer?
While we know that the NOW Customer expects quick customer service resolutions (the same way they expect 1-day shipping), there’s more to the story than just speed. It’s important to consider customer effort and the “Amazon Effect” of world-class brands.
When CX, marketing, and ecommerce leaders converged for MOMENTOUS 2021, the NOW Customer was top-of-mind. Here’s what experience experts from brands like Converse, SAP, Freshly, and Princess Polly had to say:
NOW Customers expect the path of least resistance
Are you making it easy for the NOW Customer? A seamless customer experience means that the customer was helped without feeling frustrated or confused. The best way to measure this is by using the Customer Effort Score.
By asking customers about their experience through the lens of “effort,” an organization can understand how well it makes customer interactions easy. There are limitations with Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS) alone. All three metrics, when used together, can build a more complete view of customer sentiment and customer loyalty.
With so much discovery and time spent on social media and online, shoppable content and new direct-to-consumer commerce streams are key. Brands who create the most seamless experiences — with shopping options where people are already spending time and that blend shopping and entertainment — will better capture ecommerce growth opportunities.
SHIFT Communications
The NOW Customer is comparing your brand to the best in the world
World-class companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify have raised the bar for customer experience standards. In a recent Simplr CX survey, 61% of consumers said that their customer service expectations are based on the best experiences they’ve ever had.
With customer experience being the battle for business these days, it’s critical to make sure your CX is on par with the big brands, not just industry players. Otherwise, you risk them jumping over to a new site, or worse, telling their friends that you’re not worth the time.
“Most companies must realize that they are no longer competing against the guy down the street or the brand that sells similar products. Instead, they’re competing with every other experience a customer has. This presents an opportunity for forward-thinking brands to create positive experiences that customers want to talk about to others. It also suggests that CX professionals should be monitoring the experience at a wide variety of companies and industries for inspiration.”
Dan Gingiss
Learn more about NOW CX
Customer experience is the new battleground of business. NOW Customers choose who to do business with based on their complete experience with a brand, including the service they receive. Trouble is, their expectations are being set by the best in the world, like Amazon. So how do you win? NOW CX.