We now exist in a world where technological innovation is empowering customers to expect more from the brands they deal with, to switch when they're not happy or satisfied, and share their negative experiences online.
Recently, Brightpearl conducted a survey of millennial shoppers that revealed millennials can be particularly hard to please. Over two-fifths (45%) admit to being less loyal to brands when compared to a year ago, and are quicker to abandon companies that don't meet expectations.
Buyers today have a lot of choice and an array of products to choose from, so it's understandable many brands are struggling to get customers to stick around for the long haul. An enormous 76% of shoppers report it's now easier than ever to take their business elsewhere, while a quarter of millennials would change where they buy goods, based on the shopping experience. Millennials are also the group most unlikely to return to a brand if they have a bad shopping experience.
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/why-its-time-for-brands-to-prioritize-the-happiness-of-millennial-shoppers/
What if I told you that eventually, every customer interaction will be personalized? And I’m not just referring to marketing emails and Amazon product recommendations — I mean every touchpoint and interaction throughout the customer’s buying journey.
Sound far-fetched? It isn’t. According to McKinsey,
40 percent of retail CMOs
say personal shoppers will use AI-enabled tools to improve service, and 37 percent say facial recognition, location recognition and biometric sensors will become more widely used. Trendsetters Starbucks and Sephora already use GPS technology and company apps to trigger relevant in-app offers when customers approach a store.
But it won’t stop there. As AI and machine learning algorithms continue to mature, they are churning out predictions that are impressively — almost eerily — accurate. And it’s a good thing, because to keep pace with customer expectations for individualized service, business owners will have to provide extremely personalized, relevant experiences that unify brand interactions across channels.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelfertik/2019/09/26/its-time-to-get-personal-with-your-customer/#524340285e05/