Customer Experience: Customers are looking for the experience
For the third time, the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft, in collaboration with the consulting firm nexa Consulting, has conducted a qualitative study on the topic of customer experience at Swiss companies. The results of the CEX study show that many companies see great potential for development when it comes to optimizing the experience-oriented customer relationships at their own company.
Dealing with the topic of "customer experience" is not new in the fields of marketing, sales, communication or CRM. Nevertheless, it seems difficult to translate theoretical knowledge into practical action concepts and to apply them in a customer-oriented manner. Customer Experience focuses on each individual customer and their needs. If a brand or a company is to become indispensable for customers in today's global competitive environment, its wishes and desires must be precisely addressed. Today, customers must become ambassadors of the brand, which is achieved by emotionally charging the brand worlds.
Hardly any change in awareness of customer experience
A new study by the HWZ provides initial answers to the current state. The fact that the importance of cultivated customer relationships is high and will continue to increase strongly in the near future is undisputed. Companies from various industries in D-CH and F-CH participated in the qualitative study. In 2019, there were a total of 201 companies. A real improvement in the design of the increasingly important of the customer experience is not observable since the first study of 2017 - on the contrary: In German-speaking Switzerland, the degree of awareness even declined.
Gap between knowledge and action
"What is alarming is the large discrepancy between the recognized importance of the topic of customer experience for one's own success and the weak assessment of one's own level of awareness. Virtually all companies assume that the importance of customer experience is high and will continue to increase over the next three years. Nevertheless, the same companies certify themselves a maturity level of less than 50 out of 100 possible points," says Prof. Michael Grund, Head of Center for Marketing & Sales HWZ. "A change of perspective and a strong and systematic customer-centric orientation require a fundamental change in the company. It is therefore not surprising that 'company culture' is the main concern of companies; it has even gained importance over the years," adds Anne-Laure Vaudan, Managing Partner of nexa Consulting.
What do these results mean for 2020?
For the third year in a row, companies are putting data and technology at the center of their efforts to further develop the customer experience. The measures planned in 2020 confirm the challenges and the most important topics highlighted by the participants in the study. Consequently, the five most important measures for the next twelve months include process optimization, centralization and data use, strengthening corporate culture and developing digital channels.
More information: www.fh-hwz.ch
