6 Examples Of How Brands Use Digital Customer Experience

1. Take a Page from Jeff Bezos' Playbook

In the hyper fast world of digital commerce, the influence of Jeff Bezos, the creator and driving force behind Amazon, is indisputable. Regardless of personal opinions, Bezo’s approach to business success goes beyond customer interactions. His thoughts, expressed in an interview with Lex Friedman, give us key insights into creating a company culture that fundamentally enriches the customer experience.
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"The proxy for truth. Let’s say in this case it’s a proxy for customer happiness, but that metric is not actually customer happiness. It’s a proxy for customer happiness. The person who invented the metric understood that connection. Five years later, a kind of inertia can set in and you forget the truth behind why you were watching that metric in the first place. And the world shifts a little and now that proxy isn’t as valuable as it used to be or it’s missing something. And you have to be on alert for that. You have to know, “Okay, I don’t really care about this metric. I care about customer happiness and this metric is worth putting energy into and following and improving and scrutinizing, only in so much as it actually affects customer happiness.”

And so you’ve got to constantly be on guard and it’s very, very common. This is a nuanced problem. It’s very common, especially in large companies, that they’re managing to metrics that they don’t really understand. They don’t really know why they exist, and the world may have shifted out from under them a little and the metrics are no longer as relevant as they were when somebody 10 years earlier invented the metric." Jeff Bezos
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Metrics with Purpose

• Bezos talks about metrics - Don’t just collect data for the sake of it.
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• Bezos encourages a critical approach - Think critically. Examine the data you gather and ask why it is important. Asking "why" is essential when challenging the need to gather specific data. To better understand consumer behavior and contribute to your brand's narrative, make sure your metrics add real value and aligned with your objectives.
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• Make sure your metrics have a purpose – Align them with your goals so they reveal a deeper understanding of customer behavior and add real value to your brand's story.

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Find Your Brand's Truth

In Bezos' world, the relentless pursuit of truth goes beyond raw data—it includes the power of intuition and anecdotes. Bezos suggests that some of the most influential truths stem from hunches or gut-based stories. If you have a feeling, follow it up by collecting data. It's the synergy of intuition and data that enhances decision-making.

• Validate Intuition with Data - Trust your gut. If you sense something, back it up with concrete data. This combination strengthens decision-making and leads to more informed choices.
  
  
• Question Metrics for Consistency - When customer feedback or stories you hear don’t match up with the metrics, take it as a warning. For example, if customers claim returns took too long while the data indicates they were on time, it’s time to drill down and scrutinize if your data genuinely captures the right aspects. If there's a mismatch, it's time to review your data collection methods.
  

• Embrace Uncomfortable Truths - The pursuit of truth can make people feel very uncomfortable, but it's a crucial step toward business improvement and staying competitive. Embrace the discomfort as a tool for positive change.
  
  
• Actionable Truths and Team Engagement - Identify and address issues based on the truths uncovered. Energize and engage your team in a collective effort to fix problems and drive continuous improvement.
  
  

This thoughtful approach, blending intuition with data, emphasizes the importance of actionable truths and team collaboration. It's about navigating the complexities of truth-seeking in a comprehensive and effective manner.

Fast Decision Making

Decisive Agility

• Jeff Bezos highlights two types of Decisions - one irreversible and significant, the other reversible and technical. The irreversible ones need careful scrutiny from top executives, while the reversible ones thrive on quick, agile actions from smaller teams.
  
  
• Fast Decision-Making for Adaptability - In line with Bezos' philosophy, making decisions quickly is vital for staying agile in the ever-changing digital business world. Especially when it comes to reversible choices, quick decisions help a company adapt swiftly to changes, industry trends, and customer feedback. This approach encourages experimentation, learning, and adjustment, contributing to overall success in the dynamic digital commerce landscape.
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Quick Decisions

• Distinguish Door Types - Recognize the distinction between one-way and two-way door decisions, following Bezos' insightful analogy. One-way decisions are like walking through a door where you can't easily turn back, requiring thorough analysis. Two-way decisions are more like doors you can go through and return, allowing for nimble actions and experimentation.
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• Swift Choices - Prioritize nimble decision-making for two-way door choices, allowing for easy correction or adjustment in response to dynamic circumstances. Infuse agility into your brand's decision-making process.
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• Senior Analysis - Elevate one-way door decisions to senior executives for thorough analysis and careful consideration due to their irreversible nature. Make sure your brand's irreversible decisions undergo meticulous scrutiny at the highest level.

Practical Cost Reduction Tips Inspired by Bezos

• Tackle Truly Unsolved Challenges - Bezos advises focusing on challenges that truly matter, like reducing costs, rather than dwelling on problems already solved. Acknowledge that in the modern world of business, many issues have solutions, making the pursuit of cost reduction a paramount focus.
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• Innovate for Efficiency - In Bezos' words, cost reduction means inventing better ways. Apply this by innovating processes and technologies to boost efficiency, recognizing that not every problem is a novel one, but the quest for efficient solutions remains constant.
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• Efficient Digital Solutions - Bezos emphasizes efficiency. Ensure your digital operations aren't just robust but efficient, aligning with Bezos' focus on making processes lean and effective in a world where numerous challenges have already found solutions.
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• Learn from Tests - Bezos sees the initial launch as a test. Similarly, treat your digital implementations as practical tests, learning from them to optimize and drive efficiency—a crucial step in cost reduction, even in areas where solutions exist.
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• Practical, Meaningful Innovations - Bezos stresses the importance of meaningful innovation. Apply this by focusing on practical, cost-effective innovations that align with your financial goals and contribute to the greater purpose of your business.

2. Brands keep it simple

If a customer is confused, they won’t buy into what you’re selling. Studies show you’ve got less than a minute to convince visitors to your website whether or not they should try your product or service, and that number drops to just 4 seconds when it comes to digital ads. People like language that is easy to understand, gets to the point, and isn’t too technical.

Take Uber's digital customer experience for example. Engaging with their app and social media feels like engaging with a real person. The language is simple and direct, but also friendly and approachable, while still communicating their value proposition at all times – that we’re getting a ride for you nearby.

3. They get personal

These brands get to know their customers. What do they like, what they don’t like, what triggers them to take certain actions? And they don’t guess. They use customer centric data to deliver what their customers want.

Starbucks puts a lot of effort into gathering data on customers in order to serve them better. The Starbucks mobile app allows customers to pay and order right from their phones, which also reduces waiting in line. The app also aggregates purchase data in order to offer deals personalized to the user’s tastes.

4. They engage with the customer

Customers appreciate feeling like they aren’t just another nameless face in a sea of endless people interacting with a product or service. Customers who feel engaged are more likely to remain loyal to a company and become an advocate for it.

Warby Parker’s customer engagement strategies are a huge driver of the company’s success. They encourage customers to try on eyeglass frames, take pictures, and then post to social media using #WarbyHomeTryOn. The Warby Parker customer service team will respond to the hashtag, and offer their opinion on what looks best. Warby Parker connects with customers at the most important point; the buying decision.

5 . They make it easy for their customers

Digital customers are impatient, and it doesn’t take a lot to tick them off. Nearly half of web users expect a page to load in less than 10 seconds, and are unlikely to return to a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. When it comes to apps, customers get frustrated if they can’t easily find what they are looking for. Whether it’s an app or website, the best brands are careful when thinking about the user journey through their digital offerings.

Amazon has mastered the art of making life easier for customers. Page load times on the website are quick, and search is fast and powerful making it easy for users to find exactly what they are looking for. Their one click purchase is genius. The mobile app mimics this experience, and is even more streamlined, so that users can buy items with a single tap.

6. They remain customer focused

When it comes to developing a great digital customer experience, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Just remember to keep things simple, personal and focused. As long as you look outward and remain customer-centric, you will build loyalty to your brand and gain referrals from happy customers.

From Customer to Employee Experience - Connecting the Dots

Now, let's shift our focus from external to internal. In the heart of a thriving digital strategy lies the pivotal aspect of employee experience. Just as Jeff Bezos emphasizes customer obsession, we recognize the symbiotic relationship between satisfied employees and outstanding customer experiences.

Measure Your Employee Experience

CentricMinds understands the intrinsic link between employee satisfaction and customer success. Just as you meticulously track customer interactions, it's equally crucial to measure your employee experience. Utilize tools provided by CentricMinds to gather insights, ensuring your team is equipped to deliver their best.

Ensure Seamless Collaboration and Communication

Efficient collaboration and communication are the heart of a great workplace.
The CentricMinds platform primarily aims to help your teams manage tasks, facilitate communication, and notify staff of their scheduled shifts.

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From your team projects to your daily work catchup chats, CentricMinds keeps your work flowing, creating a workplace where everyone's on the same page on a daily basis. 

By prioritizing your employee experience with tools like CentricMinds, you’re giving your teams control, which helps contribute to higher levels of job satisfaction. We all know an informed team is a productive team, and that means you’ll be able to deliver experiences, products, and services that resonate with your customers.

Curious to explore how Centricminds can enhance your teams collaboration and communciation.

Book a demo to find out more.