In our recent ‘Google’s Latest Trends’ webinar, we touched on two important changes in consumer expectations. In terms of priority and ultimate purchasing decisions:
- Immediacy has outpaced brand loyalty, and
- Intent (“What do I need?”) has outpaced identity (“What kind of buyer am I?”).
Thanks to technology, connectivity and the wealth of available information, there has been a shift in power from businesses and institutions to end consumers—a shift so significant that Forrester VP James McQuivey calls the 20-year business cycle we’re in “the age of the customer.” The most successful businesses today are customer-friendly, customer-centric, and customer-driven.
Now that we know how important consumer behavior and expectations are to the success of your brand, let’s talk about some other key shifts marketers and business owners need to be aware of.
Greater demand for personalization.
72% of consumers say they expect businesses to understand and cater to their individual needs. Your customers want to be treated like people, not just a number.
Efforts made toward personalization do pay off: 69% of consumers say personalized customer care influences their loyalty toward a particular brand, while 66% say they are likely to switch to a competitor if a brand’s customer service lacks a personal touch.
Personalization is so important to consumers, to the extent that they are willing to share personal data in exchange for better service: 61% of millennials and 41% of baby boomers will do it if it leads to a more personalized in-store or online shopping experience.
Greater need for omni-channel service.
Your customers expect to be able to reach your business everywhere: through your website, your phone, your email, your social media—everywhere. 60% of consumers switch devices or contact channels depending on their current activities, and they want you to be accessible wherever they are.
Greater need for consistency.
Along with the need for omni-channel service comes the demand for consistency. While you may have multiple people or departments overseeing different channels of communication, your customer sees you as a single brand. 75% of consumers expect consistent service across channels, and 73% say they are likely to switch brands if the entire customer experience does not feel like a seamless conversation or transaction.
Need help meeting these high expectations?
With the right help and the right tools, there’s no reason why you can’t give your customers the level of service they expect. Surefire Local has built a hardworking platform that can help you do just that: the Surefire Cloud multiplies your marketing efforts and makes it possible for you to manage your entire online presence from a single, unified platform.
You can learn more by getting in touch with us at marketing@surefirelocal.com. We look forward to talking to you!