How consumers experience brands has evolved significantly over the last decade, primarily due to advances in digital technology.
The speed at which many brands were forced to transform digitally over the past year, thrust even the most ‘digital phobic’ consumers into an online world. This translates into the fact that more consumers are now interacting with brands online.
A recent survey by Appnovation shows that: “60% of American consumers say online experiences will become more important than in-person ones, and over 65% of Americans prefer to have more of their brand experiences online.”
The proliferation of digital devices has also enabled companies to engage with consumers across multiple channels. This means that organisations have to ensure a consistent brand experience across all customer touchpoints, as this will ultimately lead to a great customer experience.
“People expect to be able to engage across multiple touch points anytime and seamlessly transition between them. Companies need a full picture of what that journey looks like for any individual, and understand their pain points.”
Catharine Findiesen Hays, co-author of Beyond Advertising: Creating Value Through All Customer Touchpoints
Source: Salesforce
Is your brand providing a consistent experience across all customer touchpoints?
Customers are demanding a consistent brand experience
As more customers across the globe move onto digital platforms, they will expect companies to have a consistent voice and message across all of them. There is no doubt that companies have been aiming for this over the last few years, but it will now become an expectation rather than a nice to have.
Companies will need to move away from a siloed approach across different digital platforms, as customers are definitely going to expect a more consistent brand experience and become annoyed if they are treated differently on social media versus email.
Furthermore, during the pandemic, many companies prioritized getting communications out to customers by email, text or similar, but neglected to focus on consistency – which is key to achieving a good customer experience.
So, now that the world is gradually settling into a new normal, companies need to give customers the consistent brand experience they expect. Now is the time to revisit all customer communications.
Here are 6 ways to ensure your customer communications are delivering a consistent brand experience:
- Audit: The very first step is to do a communication audit. Then consider things such as: Are we addressing the customer in the same way? Is the tone the same across all communication types? Do these communications look like they are coming from the same company? As you go down this path, you will identify the inconsistencies.
Examine customer touchpoints: Begin with the communications that are sent most regularly. In many instances, this will be the billing, statement or account summary communications, along with your marketing.
Enhance existing customer communications: Look at your customer journeys and touchpoints and make them consistent across the board. Small tweaks here and there will help, as you put the larger policies, systems and processes in place.
Identify communication gaps: This includes looking at the communications that came before and after each other and then expanding outwards. What should come next?
Ensure content is relevant: The landscape has evolved and so have your customers, it’s therefore vital that your customer communications evolve accordingly as well.
Work with a team: You must have a cross-functional team that works together to audit and determine your brand’s path forward.
Ross Sibbald
Commercial Director, Africa