“Customer Experience” – it’s a buzz term that is widely used, but what does it actually mean?

If you talk with anyone who has a long tenure in marketing (like me!), you will discover that the concepts and objectives around shifting brand perception, driving acquisition, increasing retention and building customer loyalty have remained quite similar over time. It’s how we go about it today that is dramatically different. The evolution of digital, social media, data and tools have all changed the marketing landscape. With these changes, opportunities have opened for brands and customers to build deeper connections, and the focus on customers has moved to where it belongs – at the center.

Digital forms of communications, particularly social media, have helped break down the barriers between brands and customers. As a result, brands present as being more “human”, thereby fostering an emotional connection with their audience. Simultaneously, customers have raised the bar for how they want to be treated and what they expect from brands.

Which brings us to today. Brands have broadened their focus beyond just the transaction and are instead connecting throughout the entire customer journey. They are working hard to build affinity and ensure customers have the best possible experience with their products and services. Put simply, we call this “Customer Experience” or “CX”.

There are several components to delivering on CX, across various media. With the pervasiveness of social media in our lives today, and the opportunity it offers to reach customers where they already are, social media has a seat at the table in the marketing mix. Below is a snapshot of the different ways we can think about the value of social.

Social Listening

Placing customers at the center requires taking the time to understand them, what they care about, and what is driving their perceptions. Listening to the conversations that are taking place within social media is rich with nuggets and insights that help brands deliver on customer needs, understand positive and negative sentiment drivers, and be more relevant to their audience.

Social Engagement

Customers enjoy communicating with brands, and they’ve come to expect it. Brands can connect with customers wherever they are in their journey, and build dialog that can be playful, help educate, guide purchase decisions, and even shift perceptions. Brand heroes in social are those that bring their brand to life and develop a personal connection with the customer.

Social Editorial

As an integrated part of the marketing mix, social media can help support the brand’s business and marketing objectives. Developing an engaged community, however, requires having an editorial strategy that balances these objectives with being in tune with what is relevant and with what builds connection with the audience. As with any relationship, communication needs to serve both parties and work to earn trust.

Paid Media

With algorithms in social media constantly evolving, a post reaches only a small fraction of a brand’s social community. It’s important to consider investing in paid social not only to extend the reach within the community, but also to connect with target prospects and customers outside of existing fans and followers. Paid social is essentially a form of direct marketing in today’s digital world. The more targeted and precise your audience selection, the more successful the results.

Executive Social

Executives at a company are an extension of the brand, and they help support the brand’s objectives and tell the story. As mentioned with editorial, earning trust is a key element in building relationships with customers. Hearing the story through the executive’s unique lens helps build credibility and foster brand trust. With each executive delivering messages that support the overall brand, the story becomes stronger.

Is social media part of your Customer Experience strategy?

The social media components above are a sampling of how to build and improve a customer’s experience with the brand. We’ll be going a little deeper into these topics over the coming months, as well as exploring other components of Customer Experience. Hopefully, this article helps spark ideas that you can bring to life for your business.

Want to talk more? We can help. Reach out to us at [email protected].