Are you doing enough to promote the customer experience?

Over the past year ,as brands large and small have fought for every consumer purchase, a lot has been said about the customer experience. Study A insists that creating an online customer experience will increase sales. Study B cites information showing social marketing techniques are the key to an improved bottom line. Study C insists that all a brand needs is a cheap productThe truth is, all of these methods can help but the true key to increasing sales is through a better experience but it must start at the top - and that means brand executives, not consumers.

by Kristina Knight

Yes, the consumer is incredibly important, but the brand as a whole needs to invest in creating a customer experience. This means that executives in the company need to be onboard with what the experience is, how best to create that experience and what it will cost.

Megan Burns, an analyst with Forrester Research, has released a new study examining three ways to get executives on-board with customer experience plans. The first step? Figuring out which executives are 'passives', which are 'willing' and which are already 'engaged'. Ms. Burns suggests tailoring the message to each of these executives to gain support before a customer experience program is launched.

"The first category, called 'Passives,' resist participation in customer experience programs because they don't see the value," writes Ms. Burns. " 'Willing' executives are happy to help, but need the CC/EO's help charting out a plan of action. Leaders in the 'Engaged' category are the firm's customer experience champions. They set the example for others and are a great asset to the CC/EO."

Tags: brand advertising, customer experience, ecommerce, Forrester Research, online advertising