The Customer Experience Makes the Difference

Customer expectations have risen enormously. A larger range of products, better transparency, and new competitors increase the demands placed on brands today—across all industries. For example, in the past, it was sufficient for car manufacturers to deliver an attractive and efficient vehicle at a competitive price, but this will no longer excite most customers. Of course, what brands offer is very important because it covers the customer’s original need. However, pure performance criteria are becoming increasingly similar, especially in saturated markets. Future purchasing decisions will be made based on what customers experience around the product: the sales consultant who listens a little more closely, the call center agent who quickly and unbureaucratically finds a solution for the customer, etc. As customers, we—rightly—want to feel that our needs are at the center, not the product or the company’s process. But how often is this actually the case today?