The rise of hyper-personalization, conversational AI, and digital-first experiences has profoundly impacted our day-to-day customer experiences.
Yet, time does not stand still. New trends will emerge that push CX even further. Understanding these as they come to the fore and planning ahead differentiates forward-thinking CX practitioners.
Thankfully, three such CX leaders took to the virtual stage at Kustomer NEXT 2022, discussing “CX trends for the next five years and beyond”. They were:
- Devon Langston, Director of Customer Experience at Rowan
- Alexandra Skey, Director of Customer Experience at Ohm Connect
- Michelle Robinson, Senior Director of Customer Support at TuneIn
With their fingers on the pulse, these industry experts shared their latest learnings from the fast-paced CX world, helping attendees to stay ahead of the curve.
In doing so, they each painted a picture of what to expect from the future of CX, making a series of predictions. Here are five of the most eye-catching examples.
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CX Enters the Metaverse
By 2026, almost 30 percent of companies will have “metaverse-ready products and services”, predicts Gartner.
The trend “excites” Holden, believing the rise of the metaverse in CX will stem from a more general principle of “meeting customers where they are and where they will be.”
In doing so, many brands are already turning to the metaverse for CX innovation. Nike, Hyundai, and Ralph Lauren are all excellent examples, using the platform to develop virtual reality storefronts, product demos, and even gaming experiences for customers.
As the field evolves, businesses will also likely start turning metaverse experiences into products, while – more simply – it may also become a customer engagement channel.
However, perhaps companies can monitor this channel with AI-powered digital humans, as conversational AI evolves into something out of an Orwell novel.
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People Become a Critical Differentiator
Digital disruptors are a force snapping at the heels of several stalwart brands across many sectors. The banking industry is an excellent example. 2022 figures from the UK Financial Conduct Agency reveal that “digital disruptors” now occupy 8% of the market, rising from 1% in 2018.
Yet, traditional players are starting to fight back. How? By accentuating the human factor in CX. Indeed, some banks are pooling together branch and contact center staff into a flexible resource pool, which supercharges the human element in CX.
Such approaches are likely to become commonplace, according to Langston, as they “take away the rigidity that we’ve had in the past.” She also predicts “more colloquial trends, conversational support, and personalization.”
However, with such a sweeping change in vision, a culture change is also necessary to support new customer experiences, where humans play the role of a positive differentiator. According to Langston, this starts by "Making sure you understand what your teams are doing, so your decisions are based in reality.”
Indeed, hands-on leadership is the order of the day. Sharing advice for establishing such an approach in the contact center, Skey says:
"Work side-by-side. Open up a video chat and take calls while working with a teammate. Find those opportunities to build connections with the team."
Skey also recommends giving the team “permission to be real”, training the team to relate instead of giving off-the-cuff apologies. Why? “Because it resonates so much more and opens up the conversation,” she concludes.
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Collaboration Accelerates Transformation
Through collaboration, various functions can build alliances and power transformation across the enterprise. Such a principle lies at the heart of “total experience”.
Expect this trend to gain ground as it connects the enterprise with a shared vision of not only CX but employee experience (EX) and user experience (UX). In doing so, it enables brands to develop a coherent identity, only possible through deep collaboration.
Such a trend should not only sidestep from one department to another but – as Langston reminds us – it must also climb up the corporate chain. She says: