Customer Experience, also known as CX, according to Wikipedia is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a supplier of goods and/or services, over the duration of their relationship with that supplier.
This experience can include awareness (meaning that the potential client is knowledgeable about your product or service), discovery, desirability, contact, consumption, use, cultivation and support or promotion.
Reading this, you probably think that the value of the customer experience you offer ranks exceptionally high and can’t really be improved. Well, you’re not alone – but you’re also probably wrong. In a survey conducted by Bain & Company 80% of 362 firms believe that they deliver exceptional service. This is funny considering that only 8% of customers surveyed believe that these companies were “really delivering”.
As a very broad example let’s consider a restaurant set up. The customer experience starts with the customer driving to the restaurant, reaching it and parking his or her car. What was the drive like and how safe is the parking area? Once inside the restaurant an abundance of details will be the difference between this customer coming back or not. From the table being wobbly to the waiter not being available enough (or in some cases – too available), everything adds to the total customer experience.
Where Does Content Marketing Fit In?
The total customer experience literally involves every single aspect, however miniscule it might be, of your business. When it comes to CX every detail of a product, service and business needs to be taken into account to create only the best experience.
It starts with the customer’s initial acknowledgement of your service or product and follows all the way through the nurturing and closing stages – and can continue even after the sale has gone through.
By creating content that is unrequested but still accessible by your customers you provide value that increases your total customer experience. This content includes everything from your blog to social media to photos and videos.
Unlike annoying advertisements, content marketing offers something that is sought after. Clients and customers search for your content and when found, they consume it. Through your content you provide real value and at the same time you are able to communicate your value through your content.
Content informs – in a non-invasive way - and when customers are informed they’re expectations are realistic – which means that if you hold up your end of the deal there shouldn’t be much room for disappointment.
Making use of social media platforms is an effective way of promoting your content and at the same time opens up a whole new dimension of interaction. Through social media you are allowed to see exactly how your customers feel and thus how you can improve. Everything you do on social media adds to the total customer experience.
Your content should not only serve the purpose of attracting readers and driving traffic to your site. It should also enrich the overall customer experience by providing content that is well researched and written.
Do you provide interesting content that customers enjoy reading and sharing? Well there you go, you’ve created something that people can access free of charge and that they enjoy occupying themselves with. That’s the stuff that great CX’s are made of.
Your content is an important part of your total customer experience. Content marketing therefor isn’t just about the marketing, but about strengthening your overall CX. It’s simple; customers are willing to spend more money on products or services that have a good reputation. Great content improves your CX which in turn improves your reputation.
Sound Idea Digital is a full service digital marketing agency that specialises in content marketing | www.soundidea.co.za | SoundIdeaDMA | info@soundidea.co.za
|
Request a Digital Marketing Services Consultation
 |
[Back]
blog comments powered by Disqus
