ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°150 - Septembre/Octobre 2013 - (Page 22)

FoCus

By Laure LEVESQUE (91)

The customer
experience
Most of us would agree that the voice of the customer is more powerful today
than ever before. Why is it so? Answer from Laure LEVESQUE, International
Brand Management and Business Development Executive.

The customer experience at the
heart of winning strategies
We have entered an era of connected
consumerism where traditional customer
segmentation by age is no longer relevant. Gen C (for Connected consumers)
mixes members of Gen Y, X, Boomers,
Matures and defines more of a way of life.
They live and breathe in social networks
and use mobile devices as their windows
to the world. They are empowered, more
informed, discerning and demanding.
To Gen C, experience is everything. They
rely on shared experiences of like-minded
people to guide their actions. 92% claim
their decisions to be influenced by people they know and 70% state that shared
opinions online affect their purchase decisions, among the 10 sources or more
they rely on. Therefore, they can become
a formidable foe or ally for any organization, inviting executives to rethink the entire pre,
during and post transaction.
What is the experience we want our
customers to have and how to engage
with them?
Businesses tend to invest in reactive engagement
instead of proactive experiences. They experiment
with new technologies without a clear definition
and monitoring of a sought customer experience,
running the risk of brand dilution because of competing or disconnected experiences across social
media platforms.
The experiences people have with our product,
our company, our representatives, define our
brand through the expressions we share, rather
than the impressions we make. They are now the
new «relationship», captivating the mind and feeding likely emotions to create desirable behavior

- ESCP Europe Magazine N° 150 - Septembre/Octobre 2013

in a given context. As a result, engagement is no
longer measured by Likes, comments, tweets or
retweets but rather by advocacy, referrals, positive
endorsements and loyalty reflecting the customer
takeaway value, sentiment and shared actions
following the exchange.
What does it take to foster a true customercentric culture in our organizations?
Several opportunities present themselves for
businesses to listen, learn, engage and adapt to
their customers in each moment of truth throughout their dynamic decision-making journey. For
instance, McDonald’s is pouring $1 billion in
redesigning the consumer experience marked
by muted colors, wooden tables and faux leather
chairs. Apple strives to inspire meaningful experiences and establish a sense of unparalleled
belonging. This begins with a culture of innovation
that recognizes the impact of disruptive technology and how consumer preference and affinity
are evolving. Brand is then a collection of shared
experiences aimed at creating alignment between
our vision and customer aspiration. Jobs said it
best: «Marketing is about values. But this is a
noisy world, so we have to be very clear on what
we want people to know about us».
How to lead this transformation?
The CMO should evolve into a new kind of
«C.E.O» (Chief Experience Officer), responsible
for generating customer engagement and creating
meaningful and shareable customer experiences.
He must look at how to innovate within to innovate
outside, and stay totally connected with everyone
who touches the brand.
Change is in the air for the opportunity to earn
relevance and leadership. Nobody can go back
and start a new beginning, but anyone can start
today and make a new ending.
●

Table des matières de la publication ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°150 - Septembre/Octobre 2013

Couverture
Zapping
Sommaire
BUSINESS
Personnalités du mois Michel de ROVIRA (97) et Augustin PALUEL-MARMONT (99 MA) : Les trublions du goût
Focus
Moindre appétit
La guerre des prix
Pour 1€ de plus
Le temps digital
The customer experience
Commandez en drive
À vos côtés !
La fabrique à cocktails
Itinéraires
Color your motion
Le choix des mots
Entretiens
Agroalimentaire
Infrastructures
NEWS
Vie du réseau
Alexandre KARA (MS Médias 93), Chef du service politique d’Europe 1
Digital Generation
Bringing energy and environment together
Nominations
La mode, pilier de la vente en ligne
Spring cocktail
Fiest’Apprentis 2013
Crise produits-clients, la rupture ?
30th anniversary
Tous à bord !
Carnet
Déjeuner d’amitié des Seniors
Agenda
Carrière
Réussir mes années quinquas…
Les nouveaux métiers dans l’univers retail & consumer goods
Voyages It’s not about running, it’s about loving what you do!
À lire
CAMPUS
École When the «street» invades consumption
Fondation La Fondation créé l’événement
Vie étudiante Regatta 2013

ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°150 - Septembre/Octobre 2013