Developing a Unified Voice and View of the Customer

Consumer data is priceless, especially in today’s rapidly changing business landscape. Gathering customer insights and using them to make well-informed, forward-thinking business decisions is what separates mediocre brands from those that continue to pivot and innovate. By enabling companies to better understand who they are targeting, how and where to reach existing and prospective customers, and how to deliver on changing customer needs, the right consumer analytics have the power to completely transform your customer experience (CX) and service. 

Today’s customers expect and demand a lot more from brands than in the past. They want individual attention, instant and simple experiences, and for businesses to meet them where they are – on their preferred digital channels. Recently, Salesforce Research surveyed 15,600 consumers and business buyers globally to reveal changing customer expectations. The survey highlighted four expectations that are becoming essential for brands to compete. First, personalisation, with 66% of customers expecting companies to understand their unique needs and expectations and 52% expecting offers to be customised. Second, connected, unified journeys, with 76% of customers wanting consistent interactions across sales, service, and marketing departments. Third, innovation, with 88% demanding brands accelerate their digital initiatives and offerings due to COVID-19 – either through new ways to get existing products and services or entirely new products and services. And finally, data protection, with 86% expecting more transparency and only 48% trusting companies with their personal information. 

With these shifting desires, there is even more pressure on businesses to improve their understanding of customers and tweak their offerings to accommodate new needs and preferences. However, doing so at scale is nearly impossible unless you devote incredible amounts of resources and time to gather, collate, and analyse customer data. Thankfully, modern technology solutions make it possible to learn about your customers and prospects based on the information they’re constantly giving you on social, digital, and direct channels. You can then leverage these unified insights for enhanced customer support, tailored products, and hyper-personalised experiences. 

Harnessing a single, unified customer voice and view 

Currently, we’re noticing a key trend around rapidly realising the long-time goal of a single picture of customer projects. What this means is a single, collated view of customers – unearthing how and what they’re communicating (voice) and what makes them tick (view). This combined composition has been attempted in many guises over the years, but thanks to the rise of solid customer data platforms (CDPs), this dream has become a reality, making it easier than ever to piece the often complex customer puzzle together. Combine this with the faster implementation of digital transformation, and companies are looking to lean on a single, unified customer voice and view much more in 2022 and beyond. 

Combining social data with direct communication, such as survey responses, chatbot conversations, email support, and voice transcripts from a call centre, into one voice of the customer is powerful 

– it gives your business a much broader view of what customers are saying to your brand, publicly and even anonymously. Furthermore, when you combine these analytics with the actions your customers are taking (online and offline), you can reap the benefits of a complete view of the customer in its entirety, translating to understanding your customers better and serving them more effectively. In turn, this means engaging with them on their desired communication channels in more meaningful and personalised ways.

The world has moved to a place where this is possible – and as long as it’s done ethically and using the right platforms – there is immense value for both the business and the customer. And because you’ll understand and appreciate your customers more, you’ll naturally have a leg up on the competition. In this case, knowledge really is power. 

Choosing the right technology platforms and partner for the job 

We’ve already unpacked the value of understanding consumers and communicating effectively with them for a brand’s success and growth. But choosing the ideal software platforms and CX technology consultant that align with your business’s unique needs and objectives is crucial too. 

Finding a solution that combines customer data with consolidated channels removes the need to devote years to building big data projects or a dedicated team of employees to do the work. All it takes is making the right choices in the beginning and focusing on implementing and managing your chosen platforms. That’s where the right CX technology partner and integrator come in – they’ll be able to provide the best-in-class global solutions, guided implementation and training, and ongoing support for peace of mind.  

Customer-centricity is becoming increasingly important in our ever-changing world. Connecting better with your existing and potential customers and giving them exactly what they’re after starts with unifying, analysing, and leveraging consumer data – the right way.