Guest Post: The Future of Customer Experience–Create an Offer People Can’t Refuse

This week we feature an article by Steven Van Belleghem, author, entrepreneur and international keynote speaker. He provides tips and insight on the future of your business and your customers’ expectations.

This is a turning point.

The world is at a turning point. Not just because of COVID-19. The pandemic merely accelerated a number of trends that were already emerging. The turning point affects different social layers as well.

First of all, the digital world is growing faster than ever. This is the end of digital versus analog, of online versus offline. We are now entering a hybrid world where almost every aspect of our lives will include a digital component. This evolution has a huge impact on the interactions between companies and customers.

Secondly, the attitude of the world is changing. People see the challenges the world is facing. Healthcare, climate and inequality are just a few of the serious problems we need to solve. People react differently to these challenges. Some people are afraid of them, others try to meet them and some even try to ignore them. This is the time for your organization to stand up. When it comes to dealing with global challenges, people tend to place more trust in companies than in governments. Companies have the resources and the ability to make a difference. In my new book, The Offer You Can’t Refuse, I invite companies to think about the changes they can affect in THEIR world. It’s not about changing the world, it’s about changing YOUR world. What is the good versus the bad in your market? And once you understand that trade-off, how can you reduce or maybe even eliminate it?

New Customer Behavior

The behavior of customers is changing constantly. Today, many companies are asking themselves what changes in behavior because of COVID-19 will be permanent versus only temporary? My advice is to look at the long-term behaviors. To understand the future changes in customer behavior, I advise companies to look at the following evolutions.

The new customer expectations are influenced by three elements:

• General Purpose Technology: The coming decade will see the growth of technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and robotics. Each of these technologies has the potential to change whole industries. But the combination of the four technologies together is set to revolutionize the way we live and work. The technologies will also offer new possibilities to take customer relations to a higher level.
• Personal Challenges: Everyone has their own personal dreams, fears, wishes and ambitions. As digital ease of use becomes the new norm, the question for companies will be how they can make the difference by responding successfully to the more emotional aspects of their customers’ lives. Digital ease of use will guarantee transactional convenience. The next step is to provide greater ease and convenience for customers’ emotional expectations.
• Societal Challenges: More and more people are asking questions about the future of society. Challenges relating to technology, health and the climate are now at the top of many people’s agendas. As a company, you can make use of your strengths to create a positive added value for the community.

How to Create an ‘Offer They Can’t Refuse’

In order to win the heart and the business of customers, it is advisable to take these evolutions into account. In my new book, The Offer You Can’t Refuse, I have developed a customer experience model that can help you to create a future proof approach.

You can develop The Offer You Can’t Refuse by investing in the following four axes, which will allow you to react in an appropriate manner to the new generation of customer expectations:

• Good Product, Service and Price: This is of course obvious. It is the minimum layer to win the business of your customers.
• Ultimate Convenience: This is the use of new technology in a smart way to make interfaces ever more automated, so that the customer needs to make no effort to do business with your company. This leads to the perfect transactional relationship.
• Partner in Life: This is not about your customer journey, but about the life journey of your customer. Which aspects in the lives of your customers create negative or positive energy? What things cost them too much effort? If you can provide answers to these questions, you can optimize your emotional relationship with your customers.
• Save Your World: This is about companies taking their responsibility to do good for society as a whole. Every company has strengths that it can use to create a societal added value. Search for concrete solutions and contributions that will allow your company to make a truly tangible impact.

Steven Van Belleghem is an author, entrepreneur and international keynote speaker. His core expertise is the future of customer-centricity. The combination between customer-centric thinking, the latest technologies and the human touch is the guiding principle in Steven’s stories.

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com.

Read Shep’s latest Forbes article: Key To Uncertain Times: Create Customer Confidence