According to Forrester Research, the next generation customers want more than just a great deal, they want the ability to break down barriers between consumer and business for a more transparent transaction.

That transparency can lead to a more authentic relationship with consumers and help turn them into loyal fans. Business trends in 2015 have indeed focused on more proactive engagement with chat, offers, and content delivered at the right time in a customer’s pre-purchase journey. Here’s a look at how to gear up for next generation customers and succeed:

Embrace extreme personalization

Demanding extreme personalization goes beyond getting on the phone and calling a customer by name. Today’s customers want omnichannel, self-service channels. Voice is still a top priority, but chat and email also rank on the list. Providing that technology is only part of the equation.

The other part to the equation is making the consumer experience consistent across all channels whether on the phone or chat. Customers want to pick up where they left off when switching channels without having to start over from scratch. Providing that type of consistency and service is not often something a company can put together on its own and expect efficiency and a seamless experience. Instead, employ a dedicated cloud contact center like Aspect to simplify the experience with inbound, outbound and multi-channel capabilities.

Get ready to pivot

Are you ready to abandon everything you know about customer service and pivot? The next generation customer isn’t shy about taking to social media to post a litany of complaints and grievances about your brand. Instead of ignoring it, taking a week to respond or sugar coating it with a PR campaign, get to the root of the issue. Publicly resolve the problem as quickly as possible, take accountability and turn the experience into a positive one. You can turn a seething customer into a brand advocate just by acknowledging the issue and resolving it thoroughly and on a human level.

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Listen closely and respond

Do you know what your customers are actually saying about you? A survey might tell you what customers want, or possibly when they’re upset, but it won’t capture the nuances of what’s going on in their day-to-day conversation. Listen closely on social media and relevant online platforms to find out what your customers are saying. Join the conversation without sounding like you’re reading from a script and put a personal touch to their experience with you. Staying on the pulse of a conversation can help drive awareness and sales without spending additional marketing and advertising dollars.

Give customers more control

Whether you’re selling furniture or utilities, customers want to be in more control over their experience. Research from Opower’s Consumer Insights team discovered that four in five customers want billing alerts from their utilities and billing is the primary driver behind call center calls. By giving the consumer more resources like automatic billing, text reminders or automatic payments, customer retention can soar while poor experiences and feedback wanes.

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This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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