“If you don't have an integrated, seamless omnichannel approach, customers will notice it right away,” said Carey Stoker, senior vice president of customer services at omnichannel commerce company Radial. “Think of the customer experience like a Ferris wheel. The customer is in the middle, and everything rotates around them. Each car is a different touchpoint. But when one of those cars is removed, the ride—or the journey—becomes unbalanced. The consumer feels unsettled and questions the brand or retailer’s ability to provide a fully integrated experience.”
But what are consumers looking for?
According to a January 2019 survey conducted by The Harris Poll, 84% of marketers in North America and the UK said they are satisfied with their company’s abilities to leverage technology to deliver on key customer experience measures, but only 68% of consumers felt the same.
A similar disconnect exists between consumers and business leaders worldwide with attitudes toward customer service. According to a March 2019 survey from consumer engagement company Pega, three in five consumers worldwide said a quick resolution to their issues or questions was the most important aspect of a customer service experience, vs. 46% of business leaders who said the same. Sentiments toward the importance of knowledgeable service agents and fast responses also delineate among customers and business leaders.