As we move into 2016, marketers are jockeying for position in finding the latest and greatest trends in customer experience. Nobody knows what the coming year will bring in terms of customer experience, but Temkin Group has identified several trends it views as significant factors in 2016. The research group gives a theme for each year according to what it predicts to be the most important CX trend, and 2016 is being called, “The Year of Emotion.”
“We continually scan leading-edge practices and new technologies to understand where the world of customer experience is heading. 2016 will be an active and exciting year for customer experience, especially as companies begin to tap into the power of emotions,” said Bruce Temkin, managing partner of Temkin Group.
Here are a few customer experience trends that Temkin Group is keeping an eye on in 2016:
Mobile, Mobile, Mobile…Continuing
This should come as no surprise, considering the growth of the mobile market in 2015. “There’s an app for that” is no longer just a tagline, it’s essentially a call to action for all marketers to integrate mobile technology into everything they do and, more importantly, everything their customers do. From grabbing a taxi to ordering a bite to eat, the convenience of apps has changed the way we interact with the world around us. Marketers need to make sure their company has an app for that, whatever “that” happens to be.
Speech Analytics Piloting
Already beginning to pop up in some service centers, speech analytics is proving to be a valuable addition to customer experience efforts. As a logical step forward in data analytics, the technology will (ideally) allow companies to sort through recorded customer calls according to issue, product line, or even keywords. Having instant access to real customer insight is a customer experience dream for brands today, and speech analytics appears to be just the tool for the job.
Predictive Analytics Personalizing
Personalized customer experience was a hot topic in 2015, and Temkin Group sees it continuing to grow this year as well. Using the immense amounts of customer data available to companies today, brands are looking for every edge they can get in giving customer exactly what they want, when they want it. Predictive models are proving to be the most effective way to customize CX, using algorithms to determine what a customer would enjoy based on past behavior. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to provide a tailor-fit customer experience, and brands are looking to predictive analysis for take a glimpse into the future of customer engagement.
Emotion Arising
According to Temkin Group research, emotion is the biggest CX factor in impacting loyalty, but is an area in which companies aren’t paying enough attention. This discrepancy will likely change in 2016, and brands will recognize the importance of connecting with customers on an emotional level. Building loyalty often comes down to proving that you know the customer; shoppers are looking to engage with brands that feel more like close friends as opposed to merely a provider of goods.
These trends will likely gain steam over the course of the next 12 months, but only one thing is for certain: 2016 is sure to be an exciting year in customer experience.