When you log in to Netflix or Amazon, your home page is anything but generic. These companies offer viewing and shopping recommendations based on your tastes and past purchases. This strategy is called hyper-personalization and has become the hallmark of highly competitive businesses today, according to a Deloitte report on individualizing customer experiences with artificial intelligence, data and analytics.
“In order to excel in today’s marketplace, organizations should adopt a hyper-personalized marketing strategy by exploring the ways data, advanced analytics, and AI technology can be embedded throughout the customer journey and generate new levels of industry-specific customer insights and action,” the report states.
If you’re not already leveraging advanced tech to get to know your customers personally and tailor your services accordingly, you must prioritize doing so to survive in our experience-focused era. Here’s why delivering personalized customer service is vital for any business today and how you can craft customized experiences with the power of technology.
Why personalized customer service matters
Anyone who’s become a regular at a bar or restaurant knows the appeal of an establishment where the staff knows you by name and can start on your usual order as soon as you walk in. Research by McKinsey and PwC confirms that treating customers as individuals makes a significant difference:
- 71 percent of consumers expect personalized service, and 76 percent feel frustrated if they don’t receive that level of individual attention.
- 78 percent say personalized services make them more likely to purchase goods or services from a business repeatedly.
- 78 percent of consumers say they’re more likely to recommend friends and family members to companies that provide personalized customer service.
- Consumers are willing to pay a price premium of up to 16 percent for a product or service if the company provides a stellar customer experience.
The bottom line is that treating your customers as individuals and demonstrating that you care about their preferences will lead to loyalty and lasting success for your business. On the other hand, impersonal service will drive people into the arms of your competition. Consumers no longer have patience (if they ever did) for companies that treat them poorly and see them as numbers instead of human beings.
Fortunately, thanks to technological advancements, it’s easier than ever to get to know your clients.
Top 3 types of technology that support individualized customer interactions
With the right tech, you can gather intel and utilize it to provide hyper-personalized customer service. While your exact IT roadmap will depend on your company’s specific needs and objectives, here are some of the top solution categories to consider if you want to demonstrate that you value your customers as individuals.
1. Customer relationship management (CRM) software.
A robust CRM allows you to track interactions closely and store information about prospective and current customers. Customer relationship management software can not only support CX improvements but can also improve collaboration between your sales and marketing departments, boost sales, and offer insights into broader trends in your customer base’s behavior and preferences.
2. Omnichannel cloud contact center software.
An omnichannel Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platform will allow you to cater to customers’ inclinations by communicating with them via the medium of their choice – whether that’s instant messaging, texting, calling, or another method. Leading CCaaS platforms also commonly integrate with CRM software so agents can access customers’ details during interactions.
3. Artificial intelligence.
Deploying AI in your contact center can make a massive difference in personalization potential. For example, you can deploy AI tools that performs the following functions:
- Conversation analytics including real-time sentiment analysis
- Agent assistance via pop-ups with customer information and prompts based on sentiment analysis
- Matching customers with the best agent based on historical analyses of personality traits, skills, and communication style
- Automated call transcription and note-taking
- Automated call recaps with vital details about the interaction and the customer
If you’d like to explore technologies that support personalized customer service, our technology consultants can assist you. We have over 20 years of experience in IT and have helped numerous businesses efficiently identify solutions that support their unique objectives. With access to detailed comparison matrices and exclusive research, we can save you dozens of yours you’d otherwise spend weighing your options on your own. Your time is valuable. Let us streamline the purchasing process by doing the homework for you.
Start your transformation today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com to schedule a consultation.
