Challenges of Delivering Excellent Customer Experience and How To Address Them

In this modern age when almost everything comes handy, customers have become less appreciative and are difficult to please. With the advancement in technology and the accessibility of information, product quality among competing brands and companies are almost equal. Hence, the determining factor in choosing the brand or company lies in the customer service.

Customer Experience (CX) in today’s world is an integral part of every company. With the increasing competition among all industries and the ever-evolving buyer’s journey & behavior, the challenge is to deliver high-quality experiences for your customers, at all times. This task, however, is not a piece of cake. Read on to know more about the challenges of establishing and maintaining high customer satisfaction and how to resolve them.

1. Understanding Customer Expectations

The first, and probably the biggest, challenge is understanding diverse and constantly changing customer expectations. Most companies target specific customers — by gender, race, age, generation, etc. While these customer classifications may share similar basic requirements of a certain product, they do have varied desires that they take into account when purchasing a product. This is the reason why talking to customers is the best strategy. It is important for a business to get to know its clients, customers, and consumers. Find out their expectations, their needs, their preferences, their non-negotiables, their opinions on the product and their suggestions for improvement.

2. Reaching Out To Customers

Doing research and gathering data on customer expectations bring us to the task of reaching out to customers. There are plenty of ways to advertise and get through the customers. We have print media, radios, televisions, phones, emails, social media and of course, face-to-face campaign. The primary challenge, though, is to get the message across. With telephones, the challenge is to understand just by listening. The challenge in emails and chats is to understand emotions by reading through the opinions that have no tone. In social media, the challenge is to present everything with the pressure of doing it in public. Implementing a customer feedback service and having a systematic approach to gathering data from customers will help the company understand and work for a better customer experience.

3. Exceeding Customer Expectations

In businesses, it is not just enough to meet the customer’s expectations. Because these expectations are constantly changing, companies must then always be a step ahead. It is also noteworthy to know that oftentimes, the expectations of customers are influenced by competitors. Stay ahead of the game by being regularly updated with new initiatives and suggestions based on customer feedback and current industry trends. At the end of the day, your product and service should be addressing what your customers need.

4. Consistency

What affects customer satisfaction are cumulative experiences across multiple touchpoints and in multiple channels over time. Consistency can be achieved by having clear-cut processes and standard CX guidelines. All customer-facing teams must be made aware of these and always ensure strict adherence.

5. Employing Skilled Customer Experience (CX) Professionals

As more businesses focus on customer service, the demand for skilled CX professionals is on the rise. Hiring such employees is one thing, retaining them is another. Companies must have structured programs to train and develop new hires about company policies, values, culture, and practices.

Additionally, considering that customer service is one of the most stressful jobs, companies must also provide programs that offer work-life balance and support lifestyle activities that can help manage stress and boost productivity. Having a holistic wellness program would ensure a high employee retention rate.

6. Creating a Customer-First Culture

The long-term solution to achieving consistency across all business channels is to instill a customer-first company culture. Customer-driven company culture can be described as having a distinct appreciation for customer service, understanding the impact of their service and are willing to go out of their way to meet customer needs. In order to cultivate this culture, it must be emphasized during the hiring and training process. The employees must be able to see the company vision, fit into the culture and work with the company to achieve the company’s goals. Employee retention is also a key factor to success. Staff turnover not only affects the internal aspects of the business, but it is also not good for the customers. Dealing with the same person develops trust and is a good way to build long-lasting relationships.

It is difficult to thrive, much less stay ahead of the competition, in today’s market. But having exceptional customer service makes this possible. The good starting point is to focus first on the employees. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers.

Infinit-O is the trusted customer-centric and sustainable leader in Business Process Optimization to Small and Medium businesses in the Financial Services, Healthcare and Technology sectors by delivering continuous improvement through technology, data and people.

Ready to take your CX to the next level? Get in touch with us now for bespoke solutions tailored to your unique needs!

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