What do your employees and customers really want this year? The truth is more valuable than anything under the tree: a better total experience. In fact, 73% say customer experience is their #1 decision-making factor – outranking all others.1 Experience is the new brand currency – is your business delivering? The best gift organizations can provide for their employees and customers is a better experience.
Gifting great experiences in the era of the modern customer
Just like how Santa and the elves know exactly what each child wants, the modern customer expects businesses to understand their unique preferences and personalize offers just for them. To your customers, the ideal segment size is one. They want to feel known, heard and understood as the unique individual they are with solutions tailored to their needs and interests.
The modern customer wants to be in control with excellent self-service experiences. Put them in the driver’s seat to download a receipt, update an address or cancel a subscription.
The modern customer is always connected: 91% of American adults own a smartphone today, compared to just 35% in 2011.2 Research shows most people check their mobile within five minutes of waking up – meaning we expect access to information and services anytime, anywhere.
Lastly, the modern customer wants to trust you. They’re aware of data privacy issues and will only work with brands that prioritize data security. In fact, 83% of customers agree that trust in a brand makes them more likely to stay loyal to it.3
Think of customer experience like the perfect holiday gift:
- 💌 Personalized: Tailored just for them
- 🎁 Convenient: Easy to unwrap (or access)
- 👉 Always available: 24/7, just like holiday spirit
- 🔒 Trustworthy: No surprises, no disappointment
The experience playbook: three keys to success
Successful organizations are reimagining customer interactions through a few key strategies:
1️⃣ Move beyond customer acquisition
The post purchase journey is now as critical as the initial sale with 80% of new revenues coming from existing customers, according to research from McKinsey. Don’t ignore the back half of the customer journey – customer success is a powerful growth driver.
2️⃣ Unlock the potential of your knowledge workers
Customer experience isn’t just a department—it’s created by every employee. When workers are engaged, equipped with the right tools, and motivated, they deliver exceptional experiences.
3️⃣ Modernize your CX strategy and tools
The path forward is clear: move from legacy to digital-first. This means:
- Adopting cloud-first strategies
- Exploring AI and generative AI
- Implementing data-driven approaches
The future of customer conversations must be omnichannel, proactive, empathetic and secure. A great customer experience strategy will include rich, immersive customer journeys with engagement across preferred channels. It includes AI-assisted technology for knowledge workers and has measurable business impact.
A great CX strategy demands great customer experience technology. ➡️ Learn more about how OpenText Experience Cloud can help you modernize experiences and achieve your total experience objectives.
- [1] Forbes, The Evolving Landscape of Customer Experience.
- [2] Pew Research Center, Mobile Fact Sheet, November 2024.
- [3] Help Scout, 107 Customer Service Stats and Strategies, 2024.
