Accenture found that 87% of organisations say that traditional service experiences no longer satisfy customers. In the increasingly commoditised world with more distractions than ever, companies have less and less time to capture the fleeting attention of their ideal customer. With an attention span of just 8 seconds, being able to engage with your customer and hold their attention is a vital skill that many organisations struggle with. Research from the Harvard Business Review says that when a customer experiences interaction with a business, they “want to feel as if the interaction was the result of human agency rather than some abstract automation.”
The peak-end rule is a cognitive bias that impacts how past experiences are remembered. Intense feelings of positive or negative emotions (the peaks), and the final experience (the end) often heavily skews overall perception towards the event, especially in hindsight. By providing an experience that a customer has never before been a part of, a brand is able to distinguish itself from the monotonous noise of traditional service.
So how to best provide your customers with a memorable, engaging, human experience?
Each touchpoint for your business provides an opportunity to exceed expectations and create a memorable experience for your customer. Customer experience must be at the heart of every business decision and guide marketing efforts within the organisation.
Offering your customer the choice without overwhelming them with options is a way to engage their interests without increasing cognitive load. Too many options can be complicated, frustrating and time-consuming, reducing the likelihood of repeat patronage or customer lifetime value. By allowing the customer the illusion of control whilst still guiding the output is a way to captivate audience attention, build stronger brand relationships, and create a unique and memorable service experience.
In the world of a decreasing attention span, instant gratification is key. By giving your customer the opportunity to control their situation you allow for greater brand trust, building a longer-term relationship. Their situation is personalised to their circumstance, leading to greater overall customer satisfaction.
Take the Captivate Connect Jukebox feature. Jukebox is a self-service solution that allows callers to select a channel of preferred music genre or podcast to listen to whilst they wait- no more monotonous and overused elevator music! By giving customers a straightforward choice, they are able to engage with the system without feeling overwhelmed. Optimise your voice channel and exceed your audience expectations with Captivate Connect.
