With many technology vendors moving to a SaaS or Solutions-based selling model, a customer’s journey no longer stops at point of purchase. Instead, the entire customer experience must be taken into consideration, from purchase through to customer support and – if possible – referral.
Marketing must start to consider additional touchpoints: sales, naturally, but also helpdesks, live chat, call centres and even physical stores. All of these must be brought together to provide a unified customer experience that consistently delivers against your company’s purpose and brand values.
Achieving this will increasingly require businesses to use data-driven insight, which puts customers at the centre of decision-making. Brands are asking themselves: how would each of these interactions look from a customer’s perspective? And using this as a guide for their marketing communications.
Meanwhile, customers will also be adapting their own expectations, as they take more control over the value of their own data. In exchange for the use of their data, customers want to see businesses pre-emptively solving their problems with relevant services and offers. Customers want rapid resolutions and relevant communications.