Unlocking Success: The Power of a Digital Concierge in Creating a Cohesive Customer Journey
Among the various marketing metrics that require monitoring and reduction, one stands out as crucial for marketing professionals' job security: customer acquisition cost (CAC). Neglecting this key performance indicator can lead to conflicts with the CEO, CFO, and other board members who prioritize tangible return on investment (ROI) data when allocating budgets or making cutbacks.
A survey of over 900 senior-level marketing professionals revealed that 86% consider creating a cohesive customer journey as either "very important" or "critical." These professionals recognize the bottom-line benefits of a cohesive customer journey, including increased revenue, reduced churn, and higher customer satisfaction ratings. These outcomes directly contribute to an improved CAC and greater satisfaction among board members.
Despite the recognized value and importance of a cohesive customer journey, many organizations struggle to translate theory into practice. This challenge arises because the line between marketing and customer experience has become increasingly blurred. As customers gain digital empowerment, they dictate the channels they interact with and expect brands to prioritize their convenience. Consequently, the customer experience is no longer confined to a single channel or predictable trajectory but occurs at various points across multiple channels, interactions, and communications.
In light of this "blurry" reality, which will only become more fragmented and complex as customers gain further empowerment, marketing professionals seeking a cohesive customer experience must prioritize two characteristics: consistency and context. This is where the Digital Concierge comes into play.
Paradoxically, a Digital Concierge integrates a very old-fashioned element—a human voice—with a technology-led approach to achieve consistency and context throughout the customer journey. In terms of consistency, the Digital Concierge ensures that customers encounter a familiar, trustworthy voice at every step, regardless of the time of day. This element holds immense value and cannot be underestimated. In physical locations, it is well-known that passing customers from one person to another leads to disengagement. The web doesn't change this fundamental need for consistency, but it introduces challenges. The Digital Concierge simplifies and automates the process.
Regarding context, a Digital Concierge fills the gaps that customers may encounter when transitioning from one property to another (e.g., main website to blog), one section to another (e.g., sales content to technical support), or one interface to another (e.g., computer to smartphone). Left unaddressed, these gaps create leaks in the sales funnel and result in lost customers. However, a Digital Concierge ensures that the customer journey maintains its integrity at every touchpoint.
Ultimately, a Digital Concierge not only enables a more cohesive, consistent, and contextualized customer journey but also adds value. Customers become more engaged, informed, and impressed than before, leading to improved CAC numbers that impress board members and pave the way for marketing professionals' advancement.
