Today’s consumer wants great experiences with brands at every step of their journey. By understanding how everything comes together, using technology smartly, and keeping customers at the center, brands in every industry can create strong connections and succeed in the long run. It’s all about knowing what your customers want, after all. So, why not take a peek into their minds?
A social experiment carried out by Bite Back 2030 in 2019 took the internet by storm. A group of teenagers were asked to order a dish, only to be handed envelopes containing accurate predictions of their orders. ‘Eerie,’ ‘unfair,’ ‘scary’—these were some of the terms the teens used to describe the experiment.
These teenagers found themselves conditioned to order what was predicted – Triple dipped chicken. Through targeted marketing via OOH banners, personalized ads on social media, and even radio, it was almost as if their preferences were hijacked. Decoding consumer psychology accounts for 50% of a marketer’s job. Yes, it is science, but it also requires human insight and understanding.
Being attentive to the intricacies of human behavior and preferences enables marketers to craft experiences that resonate with their target audience. This experiment sheds light on the power of personalization to influence consumer choices. The discussion is not limited to evaluating ethical practices and the responsibility of advertisers towards the privacy of their consumers but also to addressing the elephant in the room – the role of CX and BX in driving purchase journeys.
According to Hussein Dajani, Group Chief Marketing and Customer Centricity Officer at Petromin Corporation and Advisor of CMO Council Middle East & CXPA Middle East Regional Leadership Council, both Customer and Brand Experience are sides of the same coin today.
In an exclusive sit down with Communicate, Dajani dives into the evolved definitions of CX and BX and their roles in driving the consumer to make a purchase whilst also developing a sustainable relationship with the target consumer.
Navigating the Convergence Effect.
Amid speculations of online and offline worlds converging, Dajani emphasizes the need to redefine customer experience (CX) and brand experience (BX), as they become more interconnected. “While they can be confused to be the same thing, it’s important to identify that they’re not the same but are closely related. Playing equally significant roles in the realm of business and marketing, both these concepts shape consumer perspectives and interactions with brands or their services.”
CX can be defined as the overall experience a customer has with a brand/business throughout the entire customer journey, from discovering the brand to interacting with it till the provided post-purchase support. Every touchpoint a customer has with the brand phydigitally contributes to the customer experience.
Whereas, BX refers to the sum of all interactions and perceptions a customer has with a brand, including tangible elements (such as products, packaging, and advertisements) as well as intangible aspects (such as brand purpose, values, reputation, and emotional connections). The overall impression and feelings evoked by the brand can influence customer loyalty, retention, advocacy, and the long-term relationship between the brand and its customers.
“CX is about the ‘how,’ and BX is about the ‘why.’ If you were curating a new checkout process (CX), focus on making it smooth and efficient. But, make sure your brand messaging, highlights how your products or services make life better (BX),” explains Dajani. Further simplifying these concepts he asks marketers to “track CX metrics to identify areas for improvement in specific touchpoints and use BX to understand how customers perceive your brand as a whole.”
“Think of every customer interaction from the CX as the trees, in a forest that can be connotated to the entire BX,” he adds. PwC’s latest “Future of CX,” report surveyed 15,000 consumers and found how one-third of customers (32%) said they will walk away from a brand they love after only one unpleasant encounter, while 92% would completely abandon a company after two or three negative interactions.
CX is critical to 73% of all individuals when making a purchase and the customer experience management market is expected to increase from $16.91 billion in 2023 to $52.54 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6%. These numbers elevate the importance for brands and marketers to act. And, Dajani urges them to:
Go Seamless.
The necessity for effective CX and BX in the MENA region is still evolving compared to more established markets. The largest hurdle advertisers, brands, and CX experts grapple with in this region is breaking through internal silos.
Dajani suggests advertisers and brands enhance their CX and BX strategies by “establishing a north star.” This entails defining clear shared goals and objectives for the product or brand experience. Research indicates that aligning teams with these goals prevents conflicting priorities and siloed efforts. Moreover, establishing KPIs to measure both customer experience and brand experience metrics fosters collaboration towards achieving these goals.
He emphasizes the importance of gathering feedback and conducting post-campaign analysis, a sentiment echoed in a study by Forrester Research which highlights the value of continuous feedback loops in refining customer experiences. “Technology, especially AI, plays a significant role in shaping CX and BX strategies,” he adds. According to a report by Gartner, AI is projected to be a key component in building experience strategies, with 72% of CX leaders indicating plans to use AI to enhance customer experiences within the next two years.
Dajani identifies the below as key challenges in line with expanding the impact of CX and BX in the region:
Data Deluge and Disparity: Fragmented data across channels and privacy concerns make it difficult to gain a holistic view of customer behavior.
Evolving Consumer Expectations: Customer expectations rise constantly, demanding seamless experiences and personalized interactions.
Breaking Down Internal Silos: Misaligned teams and communication gaps can lead to inconsistencies in messaging and customer interactions.
Furthermore, Dajani emphasizes that AIF powered tools not only analyze customer data to tailor experiences and deliver relevant interactions but also streamline processes like customer service and marketing campaigns. Predictive AI, as highlighted in a survey by Deloitte, can anticipate customer needs, forecast demand, and optimize inventory management, thereby enhancing overall customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. While businesses across the MENA region recognize the important of CX and BX, educating and constantly adapting to the evolving demands of the consumer and the market is critical.
Today’s consumer wants great experiences with brands at every step of their journey. By understanding how everything comes together, using technology smartly, and keeping customers at the center, brands in every industry can create strong connections and succeed in the long run. It’s all about knowing what your customers want, after all. So, why not take a peek into their minds?
The article was first published in Communicate's Issue 180 2024.
