The most compelling memorable customer experiences come from the relationships we have with businesses that understand us. That's why you go to the same coffee shop every morning. The barista knows how you like your latte, they know you like a quick chat about your busy day ahead and they even remember your name. Though these brief interactions might seem insignificant, they’re the reason you become a loyal customer—the barista adjusts the service provided to reflect your likes and dislikes.
As a result of today’s consumer culture and technology enablers, the expectation is that brands and businesses should provide an extraordinary experience across every single channel. To do this, we must get to know the customer (just like the barista!). By that, we don't just mean identifying preferences, but rather forming a genuine connection with customers by recognising their uniqueness and catering to their specific wants and needs.
We asked the people
A couple of months ago, we went on the road and created our very own analytic stunt to put our theory to the test!
In London’s bustling Bluewater shopping centre—filled with young couples, parents, graduates, professionals and more—we were able to build real connections with strangers, in minutes.
Through NICE Nexidia’s predictive behavioural routing (PBR) solution, powered by advanced analytics, we asked the public a few questions live in Bluewater. In just hours, we were able to gain insight into over 200 people's preferences, temperament and eccentricities.
From a few questions, we were able to find out whether someone was an Organiser or a Doer! Identifying their personalities made it easier for us to connect with them and replicate the magic of having a relaxed conversation with someone they know.
But, how can businesses create real, meaningful interactions across thousands of employees and customers in the contact centre?
Personality matters
The basic application of personalisation is not enough, as the idea of segmenting customers into groups based on generic data is obsolete in today's experience economy. By taking a personality-driven view of the customer, you can tailor every experience. An awareness of what’s important to them can allow you to add a much more personal touch, creating real connections with real people.
Through NICE Nexidia advanced Interaction Analytics and PBR, businesses can identify what a customer values most and what they prefer, in real-time. Are they chatty? Or would they like to get straight to the point? Or are they a logical planner? Or are they opinionated? With this knowledge, businesses can tailor communication down to the individual level to create hyper-personalised experiences. It also helps employees, who are on the front line, to build chemistry and a strong, empathetic connection.
Personality-driven connections drive a proactive approach to customer service, as businesses can connect a customer to the most suitable agent – a match made in heaven. For example, if a customer's previous interactions have shown that he or she is direct and short, thanks to the smart routing functionality, they can be connected to an agent who is skilled in resolving matters quickly and efficiently, minimising Average Handle Time (AHT). However, if a customer's personality type is a Connecter, then they should be routed to an agent who has a track record of maximising customer satisfaction.
Our Bluewater stunt highlighted the value of getting to know your customers’ personalities. The ability to identify what made participants tick allowed us to enjoy an authentic and meaningful interaction with every person. In the contact centre, this translates to improved sales driven by customer loyalty, higher employee and customer satisfaction, and excellent brand reputation.
