How to transform client engagement in 2023

Last week I co-hosted a webinar with Fiona Wilhelm , Customer Success Director at KPMG. We spoke about the importance of focusing on the customer when it comes to creating and optimising digital products for your firm.

The right digital products have the power to transform the way you engage with clients. The problem is, firms often struggle creating a product customers want to use.??

In this article, I list three key takeaways from my chat with Fiona. These points are important to consider if you want to create digital products that are powerful enough to transform the way you engage with your customers.?

1. Customer experience matters…a lot?

Customers care about their experience. Success and satisfaction has to be addressed “end to end”, not just in the interface design, and certainly not just as a ‘post sales’ activity!?

It starts with the discoverability of your product (can’t love a product you can’t find or don’t trust will be good) and its positioning (can’t feel fulfilled if you’ve had the wrong expectations set).?

Then, define your target audience and answer two questions.?

1. What is valuable for them??
2. What is a satisfying, usable experience for them???

Basically, think about what is in it for your customer and how you can deliver this in the easiest possible way.?

It seems simple but your product has to deliver value, and in a way that works within how your customer does business. Walk a mile in their shoes and be empathetic!? For example, 81% of people would prefer not to deal with another person in a product or service interaction. So, don’t go designing a product that requires the opposite.?

2. Use feedback strategically?

Consider what kind of feedback you want at each stage of your product development.

Don’t fall into the trap of designing for one available/ noisy/key client. Figure out a strategy for getting a market relevant product design, and then test it with said available/ noisy/key clients. Data is critically important - get it from product analytics and surveying. But balance this with a deep understanding of client experience, which only comes from significant time spent with a client.?

Make sure you are careful with the cost/effort overhead to those from whom you’re gathering the data (and be careful about privacy!). Just like having to call someone to complete a digital experience, people have survey fatigue!

Finally, actually use the feedback/data you get to adjust (and adjust and adjust).

3. Your internal customers matter

Your internal customers like your employees and partners will sell your product,? give you honest feedback, broaden your thinking, and protect your initiative. If you don’t understand what is in it for them (just as you need to for your external customers), then you can’t possibly get and keep them in your corner.?

Your internal stakeholders could be the oxygen to get you through the hardest parts of the product creation process!

Overall, creating a digital product can seem overwhelming. Create a big bold long term goal - but create something today to start the journey.?

The only way you will create the ideal product is by getting started, focusing on the customer and tweaking again, and again. It is a long road, start now!