Customers鈥� expectations evolve rapidly in today鈥檚 digital world, which only increases the pressure for businesses to meet them. So how do businesses provide a superior omnichannel experience for their customers now while remaining poised to adapt to the customer of the future? The answer is cloud. Investing in cloud solutions and technologies can help give businesses that competitive advantage they need.

As the margin of error for businesses slims and customers increasingly prefer digital channels for their shopping experience, businesses need to use this competitive advantage to connect with their customers on multiple levels. They need to demonstrate their value as a trusted supplier, relevant brand, and committed partner. Maintaining this reputation is no easy feat given the endless number of options customers have at their fingertips and how quickly a poor experience can send a customer running to a competitor.

To maintain the relationships with their customers, businesses need to understand them at a holistic level. They need to have deep insights into the behaviors and desired experiences of their customers to proactively create and engage opportunities and react quickly to challenges. For many 麻豆原创 customers, cloud technology connects those customer data points and sets the foundation for more intelligent data capture, processing, and analysis. Before the pandemic, were already planning to employ cloud-based technologies for 61% to 100% of their digital commerce solutions. And now, B2C businesses are following the same path to engage customers with restrictive in-person policies.

Taking the Customer Experience to the Cloud 鈥� with Confidence

When moving from an on-premise environment to a cloud landscape, most organizations quickly realize that the experience is unlike anything they鈥檝e seen before. Challenges exist for both the business and IT teams. Organizations must adapt to a mindset of standardization over customization, more frequent releases containing new innovations designed to improve their business, and foundationally new products that they lack knowledge and experience administering.

The offering can help organizations overcome those challenges to help ensure a successful transition to the cloud and adoption of optimal business processes, leading to better user experience. The offering orchestrates a success plan including a comprehensive portfolio of exclusive resources to optimize the consumption of cloud solutions and technology from 麻豆原创.

The underlying goal of 麻豆原创 Preferred Success is to help customers leverage cloud solutions the right way for their business. We work with our customers to help ensure their cloud investments play an integral role in helping them reach their desired and expected business outcomes.

Through an extensive community of users, business peers, and product experts, customers receive guidance on the latest functions. A dedicated customer success manager (CSM) acts as the partner for success for customers. The CSM helps ensure milestones and goals are being met through close collaboration with customer teams and by orchestrating the necessary resources for success.

Each phase and milestone 鈥� such as an implementation or a new release 鈥� is supported by 麻豆原创 Preferred Success. Customers鈥� goals and key initiatives are integrated into the approach to help ensure the delivery of the expected outcomes and the overall digital transformation strategy.

Driving Continuous Value that Resonates

Without question, today鈥檚 competitive landscape is full of challenges primarily centered around the experience of customers. But don鈥檛 forget that a slew of new opportunities is emerging and quickly becoming a point of differentiation in a rapidly evolving digital marketplace.

It鈥檚 a juggling act to handle all this change. Beyond just implementing new technology, businesses need to commit to a fundamental and permanent shift in their digital strategies, processes, and mindsets to serve customers better. And with 麻豆原创 Preferred Success by their side, they have the insight-driven, prescriptive, and personalized support they need to build the right customer experience.

Get more real-life insights on 麻豆原创 Preferred Success through the series, Heading to the Cloud with 麻豆原创 Preferred Success, and learn how your entire company can accelerate cloud adoption and business outcomes with insight-driven, prescriptive, and personalized guidance and support.

Timothy Curcio is Global Director of 麻豆原创 Customer Experience solutions for 麻豆原创 Preferred Success, Customer Engagement and Experience, at 麻豆原创.

This article first appeared on the 麻豆原创 Global News Center

The post 麻豆原创 Preferred Success Reveals the Cloud鈥檚 Influence on Customer Experience appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

Cameron Beveridge, Regional Director for Southern Africa at 麻豆原创, says: 鈥淒ata from a recent survey of more than 1000 US consumers could hold vital insights for local retailers as they aim to salvage what has been an historically challenging year. The pandemic has done little to lower expectations around customer experience. Retailers must take heed of consumer needs and empower shoppers with choice聽and convenience.鈥�

The recent survey of US consumers conducted by 麻豆原创 found that two-thirds of consumers will be shopping online this holiday season, with nearly a quarter (24%) of that shopping taking place via mobile.

鈥淣ew social distancing norms and the continued rise in popularity of online shopping services has forced retailers to prioritise digital experiences along with physical in-store experiences,鈥� says Beveridge. 鈥淐ustomers today want retailers to provide seamless, personalised omnichannel experiences that put their needs and expectations first.鈥�

To achieve this, Beveridge advises that retailers prioritise their efforts along three specific areas, namely:

1. Giving shoppers the freedom to control their own brand experiences

The rise of digital channels and self-service options have empowered consumers to take charge of their experiences with brands. In the US survey, 92% of shoppers said they want control over their experience when shopping or interacting with a brand.

鈥淐onsumers want choice, and won鈥檛 hesitate to switch a brand or provider if they aren鈥檛 satisfied with the experience. Retailers need to maintain open lines of communication with their customers to ensure they are up-to-date with their expectations, and can deliver the experiences they deserve.鈥�

2. A seamless blend of physical and digital

Online shopping boomed during the strictest parts of lockdown, and consumer appetite for online or mobile shopping has not abated.

鈥淩etailers, however, should not ignore the physical shopping experience in a country where less than 2% of all retail sales are online,鈥� says Beveridge. 鈥淚nstead, they should seek to blend digital and physical shopping experiences in innovative ways to attract and engage shoppers.鈥�

In one recent example, a leading South African retailer launched a聽. The store combines a range of innovations 鈥� self-checkout booths, sampling vending machines, electronic shelf labels and price check booths 鈥� to create an enhanced customer experience.

3. An omnichannel approach to customer service

Retailers should first and foremost focus on removing frustrations or friction in the shopping experience. One in five US shoppers said their top requirement is helpful and prompt customer service.

鈥淲ith the growing popularity and adoption of automated customer service channels such as chatbots, consumers are increasingly comfortable interacting with non-human customer service options,鈥� says Beveridge. 鈥淭he key for consumers is to get an answer quickly. In fact, sixty percent of US shoppers listed speed as the most important factor of successful customer service interaction with brands.鈥�

The post What Consumers Expect from Holiday Shopping in 2020 appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.