The Quantanite team recently brainstormed some of the key trends that are shaping customer experience (CX) at present and which of them are likely to be important in 2023. We collected the most important ones together to create our new ebook: The Key Trends Shaping CX In 2023.
The book explores some of the most pressing issues in CX today and it steers clear of the typical trends and predictions – the ones that were the same last year. There are no vague arguments suggesting that Artificial Intelligence is going to be even more important this year. The trends are each discussed with a solid foundation for why they will play such a key role in CX this year.
Two of them are interconnected and point to wider geopolitical trends at present:
- How to manage the downturn
- How to build greater resilience
These are both extremely important areas of focus at present. The pandemic proved that most business continuity planning was not fit for purpose. Disaster recovery plans designed to cope with an office fire were woefully inadequate when facing a global pandemic. It is now essential to build greater resilience into customer service operations through the use of nearshoring, offshoring, and hybrid work.
Some industries have yet to recover from Covid. Some will be facing half a decade of disruption. The need to ensure that business risks are reduced in future is critical. It may not be another pandemic that strikes your business, but something will happen. Look around the world for confirmation of this – there were around 300 natural disasters in 2022 alone.
Managing the downturn – and potential recession – is another important and very timely area of focus. However, it is worth thinking strategically about what can be achieved that would help your business to weather a downturn more effectively, rather than immediately thinking that cost-cutting is the only possible response.
The ebook summarises three opportunities:
- Focus on efficiency. A CX specialist that can demonstrate how to serve customers more effectively as costs are contained is the kind of partner you need when the economic climate is looking uncertain.
- Focus on customer loyalty. You have customers, look after them. Use the data you have to get closer to what they really need from your business. Create insight into their behaviour so you can also spot anomalies or the risk of them leaving your brand for a rival.
- Focus on the true value of CX. Aim to use the CX process to build long-lasting relationships. Think beyond the individual call. Customer service is not just managing complaints, it should be about building connections that last for decades. The goal is to build fans, rather than just customers, but that requires a genuine focus on the relationship, not just the transaction.
More startups will emerge from this period of economic uncertainty, so small innovative companies need to be ready. They need to find a CX partner that can work with them on a very limited basis until their expected growth really happens – and then be ready to scale up as fast as the startup grows. Not every CX company is prepared to do this. If you are launching a startup then think carefully who you call when you need help building robust CX processes.
It can be worrying when the economy isn’t looking positive, but there are opportunities you can take now that will position your company to be ready for growth when it returns.
Please click here to download a free copy of the ebook – The Key Trends Shaping CX In 2023.
CC Photo by Karim Mantra
