Improving Customer Experience with Technology

Customer Experience - probably the most important aspect of running a business. Without decent customer service, you’re unlikely to get returning customers or recommendations. In this article we will address some of the ways technology can improve your customer experience and help you get ahead in the current digital age!

The stakes have never been higher. There is a lot of competition these days in almost every industry, purely due to how technology has shaped our world for the better. Smaller business owners are now finding themselves competing with companies halfway across the world as accessibility is no longer an issue with the internet.

So how do you get ahead of your competitors? The answer is fairly simple, “Use technology to your advantage”

Does customer experience matter?

The short answer is yes! It definitely matters.

In the past, when a customer was unhappy with their purchase, they often took it up with the company or brand directly. In recent times however, it’s quite common for disgruntled customers to take their grievances to social media, on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Obviously this can be extremely detrimental to any business as the whole world can read what is wrong with your products or services and how your business ended up failing the customer in question. This can also work in favour of a business in the opposite way - if you provide an experience that is enjoyable and memorable for the customer, they are very likely to post on social media about that too, potentially increasing your customer base and reach. Customer experience could possibly be THE most important part of running a successful business, now more than ever.

How can technology be used to improve customer experience?

Customers have access to a lot of information these days. Which means they are more likely to make informed decisions when it comes to buying your product or service. Businesses that use technology to improve customer experience are more likely to succeed. How do we go about doing this though?

Improved Interfaces and Experience

Most customers will choose not to purchase from you if the process is too tedious or complicated. Ease of access is key here. By having an interface that is easy to use you can pretty much ensure a sale once the customer has clicked on the button to buy.

More Opportunities

Through smartphones, tablets, and laptops, customers can purchase products remotely with ease. Having apps on all platforms increases the avenues through which customers can reach and buy from you while also creating a cohesive experience for the customer as they can make enquiries and selections on their phone/laptop while they are out, and then finalise their purchase on their computer when they get home. Furthermore, selling through online platforms also gives you a lot of customer data to work with and help improve your customer experience further.

Chatbots and AI

As mentioned earlier, businesses are able to sell their products or services internationally without too much of a hassle. However, time zones still exist and can be a massive hindrance for businesses trying to improve their customer experience to customers halfway across the world purely due to the limitation of operating hours. With chatbots and AI functionally, businesses can be contactable 24/7 and the chat logs can be used to further improve customer satisfaction in the long run.

Self-service and knowledge bases

Websites can offer a lot more than just an online shop for customers. Through the implementation of blogs and FAQ’s, you can easily improve customer experience as these resources can answer any questions customers may have. The more time and effort you invest into your online knowledge base, the less time you’ll have to spend on the phone to customers. The more content you have also helps establish your brand/business as a strong contender in the industry through SEO (search engine optimisation).

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Personalisation is a great way to retain and maintain your customer relationships. A CRM system helps companies understand their customers, nurture leads, automate processes and increase profitability.??

Data analysis

The sheer amount of data available these days can be quite overwhelming. But with decent off-the-shelf or even custom software, important data can be allocated and analysed to help improve your customer service

Tracking customer metrics

A brand-new customer has very different needs compared to a customer that’s been with you for years. CRM helps you generate leads, manage, and pursue leads, so you can hone and grow the relationship effectively and in a timely manner.

Driving sales

Access to customer information and a one stop place for lead management. A CRM system can help enable a sales team to close on sales a lot quicker than a traditional system would.

Conclusions and Final Thoughts

Customer experience is pivotal to the success of your business in this day and age and it only stands to get more and more important as time goes on and technology keeps advancing. Customer experience starts at the frontline but is now a part of business core competencies even in the back-end.

We hope this article was helpful to you and if you’re in the market for any custom software solutions that you believe can help your business grow and improve its customer experience, don’t hesitate, get in touch with us and book a FREE consultation. We specialise in all things software related and are in this business to help people.? Shoot us an email at [email protected] or call us on (07) 4599 7300 Mon-Fri :9am-4pm