C u s t o m e r E x p e r i e n c e
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE How does an organisation become the brand of choice?
Brian Curran Vice President, Product Strategy
24
to the brands they interact with, including immediate response via the social media channels that have The unifying thread between the brands consistently voted the world’s become so central to peoples’ lives. In addition, they expect all “best” is a high level of brand equity. communications with a brand to be These companies consistently strike a visceral and highly emotional chord seamless and efficient, especially as the shopping experience now crosses with consumers. To build exceptional brand equity, multiple platforms – online, mobile, inbusinesses must first establish what store – in the course of one purchase. their brand stands for explicitly. Brand equity The Role of Emotion in Brand Equity is built on emotion, and ultimately customers’ perceptions of a company will impact how it The way that customers think about defines its brand image. As such, the extent brands is essentially through a series to which businesses can gain insight into this of associations made up of feelings, sentiment determines in large part how well their sounds, images and understandings. brand is received. Every one of these has an impact on To tap into customers’ emotions, businesses how the brand is perceived, its equity need to anticipate their needs and intentions and ultimately whether a purchase and engage with them is made or not. As proactively based on such, brand equity is their learnings. built through eliciting For this approach to positive emotional succeed, companies must responses from ensure that every aspect customers; the goal of their business is geared of the business should towards delivering on be to shape brand their brand’s promises. associations so that To build exceptional To achieve this, they positive associations first need to fully map come to mind brand equity, peoples’ customer journey, easily and, in turn, businesses must first including how they predispose consumers establish what their brand inform themselves, how to their brands. they interact with their If businesses can stands for explicitly” products, and how their provide control and relationship with a brand ease of engagement evolves over time. to customers then Customers today are this emotional need motivated by two drivers: is largely met. If the desire for control and customers are able the desire for ease. People to contact the brand today expect 24/7 access however they want
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