Trends that are changing customer expectations of your business

An interesting read that offers insights into ten trends that are changing and raising customer expectations of your business. Here’s our take on the ones that stood out the most in the context of Kenyan consumers and Kenyan businesses:

• Speed to serve: With instant access to information and feedback, customers expect businesses to serve them promptly and quickly respond to queries and issues too (sometimes even on a 247 availability).
• Self-serve: Customers are increasingly happy to do things themselves (as they believe they can do them better) but companies need to ensure that they provide easy access to a person (not a bot) in case they need help.
• Omni-channel experience: It’s frustrating to be transferred/directed to various departments in a business and having to explain everything all over again…or worse being told different variations. Customers buy from a brand and not departments and expect a consistent service from whomever they are dealing with. Their experience should feel like one big conversation.
• Personalisation: Consumers expect you to remember them; they expect to be treated as an individual and not as just another number. With all the customer data a company has, this should be simple right? Not as easy as it sounds!
• Empathy: Customers buy with their hearts and not their minds. Throw away the script and instead build an emotional connection with your customers by truly listening and putting yourselves in your customers’ shoes.