Definition: What is the customer experience (CX)?
During the purchase and support process, buyers gather different impressions. Not only the experience with the product or service itself plays an important role. Rather, they also form an impression of the company from which they purchased the goods or used the service. In marketing, the main focus is on touchpoints, which consistently contribute to a positive customer experience.
By definition, the customer experience thus refers to all experiences and impressions that customers have when buying a product. This also includes
- Marketing measures that serve to attract customers, such as advertisements (for example, using Google Ads) or social media marketing (after all, it is now common practice for users to first become aware of a particular product on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok).
- The web design and programming of the WordPress website
- The experience with the products or services sold
- Service and support, such as advice given to new customers or how the company deals with errors and problems (for example, by phone or live chat).
Good to know: A blog or website that offers visitors high-added value also positively impacts the customer experience. For this reason, a sensible content marketing strategy is extremely important for optimizing the customer experience.
The customer is king: That’s why the customer experience (CX) is so important.
Customer experience design is often forgotten in web development. This is usually because the processes are viewed from a development or business perspective. However, an excellent customer experience is crucial to the success of any business. It is therefore advisable to implement this process together with a specialized digital marketing agency.
Impact of customer experience (CX) on revenue
Without a doubt, improved revenue is one of the most important reasons to implement thoughtful customer experience management. After all, the nature of the customer experience is critical to whether customers choose a particular product or company. If companies succeed in maintaining the customer experience in the marketing, purchasing process, and after-sales, higher sales can usually be recorded. There are several reasons for this:
- Brand value increases because customers trust the brand and perceive it as positive.
- Customer Lifetime Value increases as customers continue to buy from the company.
- Customer experience also influences customer loyalty, so recurring purchases are likely.
- Financial losses due to a high customer churn rate are eliminated.
…and business growth
To convince (potential) customers of their brand in the long term, companies should do everything in their power to improve the customer experience – and thus also customer satisfaction. This way, they will tend to choose similar products in the future as well. At the same time, enthusiastic buyers are more likely to recommend products, services, and companies to others. Combined with higher sales figures, the result is that the company continues to grow and benefits from higher brand value.
Improve customer experiences: With good customer experience management
To improve the customer experience in the long term, it is advisable to work with a specialized online marketing agency. These experts are not only familiar with web design and search engine optimization. Instead, a professional advertising agency also focuses on the following aspects:
- Identifying customer needs: For successful online marketing, it is important to know exactly the needs and pain points of the customers.
- Analyze Customer Experience: By measuring and analyzing the CX, a qualified Magento agency can identify weak points early on.
- Implement measures: After planning, a qualified online marketing agency supports its partners in implementing the necessary actions in practice.
- Evaluation: As with any marketing measure, it is necessary to evaluate the results. This makes it possible to determine which touchpoints are most likely to benefit from improvements.
Characteristics and examples of good customer experiences
An excellent customer experience represents an important competitive advantage. It strengthens the emotional bond of buyers and creates loyalty. For this to succeed, the following criteria must be met:
- Fast and convenient ordering process, ideally without waiting time.
- High availability of customer service, for example through the use of an AI chatbot.
- Immediate action: If it turns out that certain steps are not conducive to the customer experience, companies adjust them promptly.
Examples of excellent CX include McDonald’s, Casper, and even BMW. While BMW customizes its workflows and constantly adapts them, mattress manufacturer Casper offers around-the-clock support. Mcdonald’s, on the other hand, relies on Easy Order Terminals and focuses on enhancing the fast-food restaurant experience.
Measuring the customer experience: With the right KPIs
To measure whether the measures taken are successful, it pays to invest in specialized customer experience software. It can help to keep an eye on the most important KPIs:
- NPS: The Net Promoter Score provides information on whether customers are loyal to the company. An important indicator here is the recommended rate. The higher the score, the more likely it is that the CX will be good.
- CSAT: The Customer Satisfaction Score determines customer satisfaction. It covers specific products and services, but also in the post-purchase phase.
- CES: The Customer Effort Score focuses on the effort required in the contracting process. The lower the customer effort score, the better.
Tips for improving the customer experience
Improving the customer experience is best achieved in collaboration with a professional web development agency. The professionals focus on two aspects:
- Customer perspective: taking this perspective of the customers (in the making) helps to understand what they value. Based on these insights, touchpoints can be optimized. In addition, the customer perspective is crucial for targeted email marketing.
- Customer feedback: Direct customer feedback provides information on which points the customer experience can still be improved.
Conclusion
The customer experience is of enormous importance for companies of all kinds. Since it encompasses more than just the buying process, a well-thought-out marketing strategy is indispensable. The best way to achieve this is together with ONELINE.
