Researchers say 85% of shopping journeys now start with an internet search or visit to an online store. That’s made curating a stand-out digital customer experience (DCX) more crucial than ever. This guide to digital CX will help you accomplish that.
What Is Digital Customer Experience and Why Does It Matter?
Starting an online brand is easier than ever, thanks to modern technology. This has leveled the playing field and made competition fierce. Customers are taking advantage of that — 83% report comparing prices on multiple sites before buying online.
However, research also shows that 58% of consumers will pay more for a better experience. This is why digital customer experience matters. It helps businesses stand out from the competition and win more revenue.
Digital Customer Experience vs. Traditional Customer Experience
Your digital customer experience encompasses all virtual interactions a customer has with your brand. This includes:
• Websites
• Mobile apps
• Social media
• Email
• Live chat
• And more…
Traditional customer experience differs in that it encompasses offline interactions, too. Those matter if you have physical storefronts but may not be as important for purely digital brands.
The Business Impact of a Superior Digital Customer Experience
The general idea behind DCX is that providing customers with a better shopping experience makes them more likely to buy from your brand. A recent PWC study found that 35% of consumers are loyal to brands that make it easy to find and purchase products. It was the second-highest driver of loyalty, behind only selling high-quality products.
By investing in digital customer experience, you can increase sales and drive loyalty. That could help your business reach key goals faster.
Essential Components of a Winning Digital Customer Experience Strategy
Now that you know why DCX is valuable, let’s examine its essential components. Here are three to get started.
Omnichannel Integration: Creating a Seamless Customer Journey
Omnichannel integration means providing a consistent experience across all digital channels. You want customers to be able to engage with your brand digitally however they prefer to do so. Otherwise, you could miss out on business.
For instance, a younger customer may prefer to buy a new hoodie through Instagram instead of your website. If you don’t make that option available, they may buy from a competitor.
You also don’t want customers relearning your platform each time they hop to a new channel. Providing a seamless omnichannel experience lets your customers resume shopping journeys anywhere they choose.
Personalization and AI: Anticipating Customer Needs
According to McKinsey, 72% of shoppers expect brands to recognize them as individuals and know their interests. That means building this kind of personalization into your digital customer experience strategy is a must.
Artificial intelligence has made that easier to do. For instance, some brands use AI to provide proactive customer support and answer questions before they’re asked. That’s a great example of creating a stand-out digital experience that can differentiate your brand.
Mobile-First Approach: Meeting Customers Where They Are
Some customers today prefer to shop on their smartphones. 76% of U.S. adults say they’ve done this in the past — more than the percentage that say they shop on a computer.
Empowering mobile-first shoppers is a must. Companies work toward that goal by investing more in their apps and making their web pages mobile-responsive, among other tactics.
Proactive Customer Service: The Future of Digital CX
Data shows that 93% of customers are likely to become repeat buyers with companies that offer excellent customer service. However, the meaning of “excellent customer service” is starting to change. More and more brands use AI to provide proactive service instead of reacting to consumers already experiencing problems. That’s valuable for a few reasons.
Moving Beyond Reactive Support to Predictive Insights
When a customer experiences an issue, they can contact support or simply move on to another brand. Proactive customer service helps you avoid the latter scenario. It involves using predictive insights to suggest help automatically when the shopper needs it most. That can lead to more conversions.
Leveraging Automation for Better Customer Engagement
Proactive CX is also valuable because it broadens your engagement metrics. You can use automation like chatbots and notifications to connect with customers without tying up employees.
Common Pitfalls in Digital Customer Experience and How to Avoid Them
Watch out for these two common pitfalls as you work on your digital CX strategy.
Over-Automation and the Loss of the Human Touch
Automation is a great way to stay connected with customers — but too much can make your brand feel impersonal and generic. Leave a human element in your customer experience strategy to avoid that outcome.
This could mean employing customer service workers, even if most interactions are resolved through automation. The language used to define your brand can also play a role here.
Data Privacy Concerns: Building Trust With Transparent Practices
Next, watch out for data privacy concerns. A new survey revealed that 84% of Americans are concerned about it.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid data collection entirely. Customer data is beneficial for driving future marketing and sales decisions. But your policies around collection should be transparent and probably opt-outable for customers who prefer it.
Practical Steps To Improve Your Brand’s Digital Customer Experience Today
Every company will need to go through its own journey to improve DCX. However, there are two best practices every process should include.
Gathering and Analyzing Customer Feedback
First, make sure to collect and use customer feedback. You may know how you want your brand to come across. But you don’t know if it actually is coming across that way until you review customer feedback.
If you need help getting customers to submit feedback, consider incentivizing them. That could mean offering rewards to customers who complete surveys.
Constantly Optimize Your Digital Touchpoints
It’s also important to recognize that improving DCX is an ongoing process. Changes you make today may not be effective forever — especially as consumer preferences evolve. For instance, providing the personalized experience customers want today may not match their expectations five years from now. If you aren’t continually improving, you can miss subtle shifts in consumer preference that may leave your brand behind the competition.
The Future of Digital Customer Experience: Trends to Watch
So, where is all this headed? As you strategize, there are two exciting trends to watch in digital customer experience.
Personalization at Scale with Next-Gen AI
One notable trend is the ongoing advancement of artificial intelligence. The technology is becoming increasingly adept at accurately identifying human needs and responding accordingly. This has led to the growth of AI-driven content and personalized recommendations, among other practices. Zahoree’s solution leverages AI to improve customer experience solutions for tech companies.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): Enhancing Digital Interactionsersonalization at Scale with Next-Gen AI
Another exciting trend is the growth of AR and VR. They’re starting to become more popular parts of the digital experience in industries like real estate and retail. That could expand to other sectors as these technologies become more widespread.
Start Building a Better Digital Customer Experience Now
Improving your online customer experience can be challenging — especially if you have to build the platform to do it internally. That’s where Zahoree comes in.
We make it easier for companies to optimize DCX with cutting-edge customer experience solutions. From data collection and analysis to help with AI automation, we’ll help your brand get where it needs to be by improving customer satisfaction.
But don’t take our word for it. Take the first step by contacting Zahoree today.
