5 digital CX mistakes you can avoid

Customers expect interactions with brands across all industries to be convenient and customized—particularly when it comes to digital experiences. And not only do today’s consumers have less patience, they believe companies should understand (and anticipate) their needs.

But while consumer demands are high, customers reward brands that deliver. If a company is able to meet and exceed those expectations—i.e., know their name, have purchase history, and provide recommendations based on preferences—75% of customers are more likely to make a purchase.

These heightened customer expectations are driving technology changes. But to be successful at digital transformation—the process of integrating new, fast, and frequently changing digital technologies into all areas of the business—brands must fundamentally change how they operate and deliver value to customers.

The problem is, many brands are diving in without first implementing a strategy. Let’s take a look at 5 common digital transformation mistakes brands can avoid:

     1. Only invest in technology

Of course the technology is important. But it’s not about buying the best, most expensive options available. It’s all about a top-to-bottom plan of action. Digital transformation has to come from the c-suite and have organizational adoption to be successful. And every investment—across the entire enterprise—deserves a holistic approach and a high level of scrutiny in order to avoid disrupting the cross-channel customer journey.

     2. Just add more touchpoints

Too many brands equate digital transformation with launching a mobile app. But we’ve all been on the user end of a poorly designed app. And what happens? We get frustrated, delete the app, and find a brand with a more seamless offering. This is why most mobile apps fail to deliver ROI.

Digital transformation efforts should be backed by true innovation. Brands should consider the value they want to deliver and how they’ll follow through on that promise. Take the time to do it right.

     3. Prioritize tools over talent

Maybe Gartner predicts 15% of all customer service interactions will be handled solely by AI in 2021, but that doesn’t mean brands should discount the human experience. One of the biggest mistakes companies make when digitizing is forgetting who’s tasked with delivering those experiences: frontline employees.

If a team is undertrained, they will be ill-equipped to execute the type of service customers expect, making any tech investments a waste of time and money. Brands must consider every level of the organization—not just the c-suite—in their implementation plans and make it a true companywide initiative.

     4. Ignore customer feedback

Even with the most air-tight strategy and seemingly perfect execution, brands will likely experience some glitches in their digital transformation. In a perfect world, customers won’t feel any of those growing pains, but each new channel can present challenges. And if brands aren’t providing listening posts with these new touchpoints, they’re missing vital customer feedback that could make or break their cross-channel transformation.

Customers expect a consistent experience with brands, and the only way to know if their interaction was seamless is to ask and implement their feedback.

     5. Believe all customers are the same

If brands expect their current customer strategy to carry over across their digital transformation efforts, they should think again. Key drivers vary significantly across touchpoints to match the different priorities of the customers who use them.

Again, digital customers crave convenience, ease, and speed. And while these things are also important to in-store customers, the same strategy can’t be implemented across the board. While it’s no easy task, brands that can right-size their action plan to meet varying expectations have much to gain.

Enough on what not to do—what should I do?

Digital transformation begins by understanding your customers and tailoring your technology to meet their needs. To learn the 3 digital trends to adopt now and to access our in-practice checklist, download the guide: Navigate the digital transformation without compromising on CX.