Customer experience: goosebumps, a smile & bringing people together

[jrineakter]

It was an exhilarating experience, which Adobe treated the more than 5,000 attendees from 50 countries to at its annual Digital Marketing Summit in London. And of course, that was exactly the intention, as evidenced by the theme of this conference, which focused on 'customer experience'. Or as Brad Rencher (Senior Vice President & General Manager Digital Marketing, Adobe) puts it in his opening keynote: "As companies, we sell experiences, not products".

And that is a shift in the way companies have to think about their customers and approach them. Because digital is not about the company or about the handy tools that can help us market our products, it is about people. How can we give people great customer experiences? Because the consumer is the boss. More than ever before.

Focused on customer experience
At the largest marketing industry event in Europe, Adobe will showcase their vision for what they call the ‘experience business’. The vast information and opportunities that arise as the digital and physical worlds merge, are giving consumers more choice than ever before. And with that, their expectations are also australia telegram number list rising to ever higher levels. There is only one way for brands to survive in this new reality and that is to become an experience business. Companies must deliver a consistent, personalized and engaging customer experience at every touchpoint, whether it is on the website, in a mobile app, or in a physical or online store.

The third wave of innovation
Brad Rencher
Brad Rencher, Adobe

Experience business is seen as the third wave of innovation within the big business transformations, following the previous two transformations of the back and front office through the rise of enterprise technology and the application of data. This third wave of innovation is about reinventing how products and services are developed, marketed and delivered to make the customer experience as optimal as possible. The first two waves of change were about making things easier for companies. This third wave is about consumers. Or as Brad Rencher puts it: “It’s about goosebumps, smiles and bringing people together.”

People first
The experience business requires a holistic view of the consumer. Brad Rencher asks everyone in the room to seriously consider whether they are an experience business. “Do you put people first for your company? And do you provide them with a customer experience that really matters?” It’s actually a bit uncomfortable to think about. But that’s probably exactly the point.