Read on for a preview of findings and explore The-Alt Experience series for sector predictions plus strategies that work.
Think of CX as your best business strategy
Arguably, no business group has absorbed as much pandemic disruption as the hospitality sector. Brands that have thrived have catered to audiences in a holistic way, setting their revenue models by that. “Once it became obvious we were going to survive, we started focusing on a meaningful way of bringing the Hawksmoor experience to our customers,” says Will Beckett, founder of infamous steak restaurant chain Hawksmoor, who recalls the launch of their at-home meal kit. “In the end, what we did blew up into something quite big.”
The approach echoes findings in Adobe’s Digital Economy Index 2021: CX is not a tactic or one discipline among many, but a governing business strategy that should involve every dimension of marketing and the wider organisation: mind, body, heart and spirit.
Embrace the era of disruption
Do your current plans include Web 3.0? The metaverse – where the virtual universe and internet converge? “Consumers are no longer focused on just brands or products,” says Chris Sanderson, founder of The Future Laboratory. “We start to see a shift into this world that’s a totally different platform for engagement, commerce, play and shopping.”
What are you selling? Now? Next? How are you selling it? Business models are changing each month. Excellent CX helps to build more robust loyalty as brands experiment and pivot. Meaning? Businesses that want to grow must lean into paradigm shifts – this era will continue to be known for disruption.
The bottom line is investment
Companies that had already invested in CX flourished in the second half of 2020, according to Adobe’s 2021 Digital Trends report. Continuous technology investment is a success story that stands up across all sectors. “We ripped out all our technology in 2017 and went live with a new platform overnight. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to grow the 50-150% we’ve seen these past couple of years,” says ecommerce director of Cox & Cox lifestyle brand, Ashley Peet.
Here’s what B2B can learn
The trends affecting how and why business communicates with customers are universal. “I see more and more B2B companies starting to think like B2C,” comments Sasha Pasulka, VP of marketing at event marketing software specialist, SplashThat, reflecting on the impact of newly smart, human-centric engagement techniques. “How can they bring their brand to life through experiences, venues, artists? How can they make the buying experience feel personal?”
Overall, the acceleration of digital-first events has led to a more reflective sector better attuned to customer needs. “The entire industry has evolved around virtual experiences,” says Pasulka. “The transition to virtual events has forced event marketers to think more specifically about the goals for a particular event. It’s a really exciting new space.”
Adopt digitally-powered empathy
By doubling down on putting the customer first, digitally-powered CX is recalibrating best practices across so many marketing operations (MOPS) – all the moving parts of the modern marketing organisation, from data to tech to people.
Adobe’s 2021 Digital Trends research suggests: to differentiate their experience, brands must first think of their customers as people, not datasets, and make empathy the future of experience. This theory is born out by brand leaders on the ground. “Forward-thinking marketers aren’t thinking about interrupting customers,” states global marketing operations manager of Amazon Web Services, Darrell Alfonso. “ They’re thinking about where they are in the journey and being the most helpful and relevant they can.”
Conclusion
Discover more trends and expert insight in the full series of The Alt-Experience, hosted by journalist and broadcaster Tina Daheley. For in-depth analysis of the CX evolution and the new era of disruption, explore Adobe’s Digital Economy Index 2021.
Watch The Alt-Experience now.
