The year 2023 will be challenging for the economy and businesses of all sizes and segments need to pay attention to trends to perform better.
The economic scenario for 2023 is not the best. Experts point out that it will be a period of lower inflation, but little growth, with a marked recession for the United States and European countries. Therefore, companies of all sizes and segments should pay attention to the trends of the year in order to achieve better results.
To help small business owners prepare, Marcela Klein, product marketing manager for Latin America at Twilio, listed the top seven predictions for how companies should adjust their engagement strategies in 2023, for better connection and retention. of customers.
7 trends for customer engagement in 2023
1. Attract and retain customers
Several companies are adopting business models with small teams and controlled budgets. Considering the economic forecasts, the expert points out that organizations should focus on what really makes a difference to their business. According to Klein, the first strategy is to grow the customer base and maximize customer lifetime value.
For this, it is very important that companies know their consumer. At this point, data analysis is crucial. By collecting and synthesizing data in real time, brands can identify profiles so that marketing, sales and support teams know how and when to engage with each one. This process offers an exclusive and personalized journey, helping to build customer loyalty.
2. Assertiveness
When using data analytics to shape engagement strategies, you need to be assertive. The expert explains by using the example of a consumer who receives advertisements for sandals, based on the hot climate of the region where she lives. However, she is a big tennis fan and doesn’t usually wear sandals.
“Wouldn’t you rather buy from a brand that first wants to earn your trust and asks you which shoes you really like?” he explains.
Market trends indicate that customers want this type of personalization, sharing their preferences and data in a controlled and aware way. This type of interaction helps brands build a long-term relationship with their customers.
3. Transparency and trust in data sharing
Growing awareness of data usage and the implementation of the General Data Protection Act (LGPD) have caused companies to change the way they collect and use this information. As stated in the previous article, consumers want to have personalized interactions with brands, but as long as they happen in a transparent and consenting way.
Companies that want to earn the trust of their customers need to be honest about how they intend to use this data and provide enough tools for the consumer to have choices about how their information is used. This relationship will be even more important given the changes that the data market will face with the termination of third-party cookies, scheduled for 2024.
The call for greater transparency, combined with the new regulation, has led to the disappearance of cookies and other tracking technologies due to their invasive nature. However, Twilio’s 2022 Customer Engagement Report reveals that 81% of companies still rely on third-party data for their marketing strategies.
Reinforcing the importance of an honest privacy policy, the International Data Corporation (IDC) states that by 2027 “companies that reliably collect, analyze and contextualize customer data will successfully create creative business models that will double the customer lifetime value”.
4. Proactive customer service
Who hasn’t had a frustrating service experience where they had to repeat the same information over and over again? This usually happens when the agent lacks the context of your previous interactions and is only there to respond to your requests with more questions.
“For example, when an airline cancels your flight, you have to provide your confirmation number multiple times during the rebooking process. Wouldn’t it be great if the flight attendant had all this information at hand? Or better yet , if they did contact you proactively to reschedule your canceled flight?” Marcela points out.
For the expert, proactive engagement is the future of customer service, as consumers expect their needs to be anticipated and efficiently addressed. Plus, this kind of approach isn’t just about troubleshooting – by providing an engaging experience for customers even before a purchase is made, you build trust and increase your store’s conversion rate.
5. Humanized conversations drive more sales
Consumers are looking for ever more humanized and efficient experiences, so message conversations on digital channels have become an indispensable resource. By combining the personalized service of face-to-face experiences with the accessibility of e-commerce, a new type of online store emerges.
A Twilio survey of 3,900 consumers in 10 countries estimates that 77% of consumers want to start a conversation via messaging apps like Whatsappfor assistance in selecting a product or service.
Another 58% would use messaging channels to make purchases if given this option. The survey also reveals that 80% of respondents would like brands to offer conversational messaging channels and 95% said they would trust a brand more if it was more accessible.
Which only confirms that communication is an essential element in building relationships. The expert reiterates that customers can be uncertain, interested or doubtful and want to be heard. Unanswerable communication conveys the image that their involvement is not desired. “It’s like walking into a store, looking for someone to answer a question, and walking away because there’s no one to help you,” concludes Marcela.
6. Your customers want to be served via WhatsApp
Now that we’ve established the importance of maintaining a messaging communication channel, Twilio’s report is more assertive and highlights just one: WhatsApp. Who hasn’t saved a contact number and gone straight to see if the person had the app, instead of just calling?
By creating an advertising campaign with a direct link to WhatsApp, the company is able to encourage conversations throughout the customer’s journey to purchase. Research shows that 64% of consumers say they are likely to send a message to a brand directly from an ad. Check out some relevant factors listed by the expert to improve your customer engagement:
- Introduce your brand to new potential customers on Facebook and Instagram;
- Recommend products and improve abandoned cart conversion;
- Provide potential customers with the information they need to complete a purchase;
- Leverage engagement with targeted ads that unlock special offers for members;
- Engage customers with timely and relevant product updates.
“Magalu, for example, which uses the solution for WhatsApp and Twilio Flex, has increased the number of sellers in its marketplace and increased its sales volume with WhatsApp’s Click to Ad strategy,” said the specialist. After adopting the use of the resource, the conversion rate of the file Magalù it went from 21% to 46%.
7. Omnichannel experience
Digital transformation has been accelerated by the covid-19 pandemic, multiplying the channels customers use to interact with brands, including social networks, messaging platforms, emails, forms, among others. As a result, the customer journey is no longer linear, making it increasingly difficult to predict the next step.
The specialist returns to the example of tennis and explains that, in the past, the consumer accessed the site, looked at the comments on the product and concluded the purchase. “[Agora] you might visit the shoe brand’s website, decide the price isn’t right, come back weeks later, contact customer service via WhatsApp to ask a question, add to cart, browse again, see an ad in another place, and be done to buy the shoes in a physical store”, he concludes.
The new scenario requires a greater effort from companies who want to demonstrate to customers that they know them and understand their needs. Therefore, it is necessary to be present in most communication channels, but in an aware and efficient way. Also, devise strategies that make it easier to anticipate each client’s needs.
Projections for the market in 2023
After the intervention of the expert, the report IBM Research Insights reveals that today’s shoppers differ in how they shop, but are similar in their expectation that retailers and brands are there and ready to serve their needs wherever they are, in person or online.
Regarding the current economic scenario, Forrester, an American market research company, advises companies not to expect consumers “to be shy about spending in 2023. But expect them to be much more demanding, seeking more rich people who combine the digital fluidity of the pandemic with the familiarity and intimacy of the times when you only had access to physical stores”.
Source: Reconnect
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Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
