By Nick Nelson

Catching a movie in a packed theater. Crowding into a stadium with tens of thousands of fans for a sporting event or concert. Attending a bustling business expo in a convention center brimming with industry peers.

All of the above are previous mainstays that went noticeably amiss this year, lost to the ruthlessness of 2020 along with so many other in-person experiences. And while such large-scale gatherings will surely return to our lives at some point, the undeniable reality is that we don’t know when. We do know it won’t magically happen once the calendar flips forward. Analysts believe physical events may not return until 2022.

Because of this, and larger trends that supersede COVID-19’s impact, entities like the movie industry and sports leagues are strategizing for 2021 — and beyond — around digital-first models, designed to maximize the quality of user experiences while optimizing for distribution and monetization.

Businesses should be intent upon doing the same. And according to CMSWire’s 2021 State of the Digital Customer Experience report, a vast majority of them are:

Digital Customer Experience Is a Decisive Differentiator

Historically, department stores have placed a substantial emphasis on the in-store experience. Everything from lighting to layout to customer service is scrutinized to the extreme. Delighting shoppers at every turn means they are less likely to take their business elsewhere. It might even mean they’re willing to pay a premium for your goods.

Similar dynamics are in play for the rapidly accelerating digital business landscape. Except if you run a department store’s online presence, you’re no longer benchmarking yourself strictly against fellow retailers in the same space.

“Customers don’t compare you only to your direct competition anymore,” writes Shep Hyken in an article for Forbes on eradicating mediocrity. “Customers now compare you to the best service they have received from anyone, regardless of the type of business or industry.”

[bctt tweet=”“Customers don’t compare you only to your direct competition anymore. Customers now compare you to the best service they have received from anyone, regardless of the type of business or industry.” — Shep Hyken @Hyken” username=”toprank”]

Indeed, customers’ digital expectations have risen in retail and elsewhere since the advent of COVID-19. B2B companies are generally a bit further along in their digital maturity, but 2021 is an opportunity to separate yourself from the pack. Invest in digital transformation where it counts: customer-facing touchpoints.

A study last year by Kony found that, of the trillions of dollars being invested in digital transformation, only 28% were focused on the customer experience, with a much larger portion centered on business processes.

Building digital infrastructure is important, no doubt, but back-end efficiency won’t win customers and generate buzz in the market. With an eye on creating a differentiated digital customer experience …read more

Source:: Top Rank Blog