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lection process, big data for assessing the impact of
their marketing campaign, or code based interactive
YouTube videos. While all this was good, the back-end operations team still struggled with supply chain
issues, which resulted in stock out situations at retail
stores, consumer service teams struggled with resolving consumer complaints due to poor connectivity
and functionally dated contact centre software. With
all the money spent in digital projects, ultimately the
impact was not visible in form of topline increase.
The CSAT continued to remain poor inspite of
the heavy digital investments. The same is the case
with offering super convenience or best cost. If
the disruptive ideas or projects do not serve in enhancing the consumer experience, then it will fail
in delivering the performance on the performance
metrics that really matter.
THE CONSUMER JOURNEY TYPICALLY MOVES
THROUGH THE STAGES OF AWARENESS, EVALUATION, COMMITMENT, PURCHASE AND SERVICE DURING ITS LIFECYCLE. There are multiple
touch points during this consumer journey process.
Consumers’ priorities and concerns at each of these
stages are different. In the pre-purchase stages, Michael Bosworth categorizes the consumers’ concerns and priorities into four types—need, solution,
cost and risk. The consumer focuses on the need and
cost aspect more in the awareness phase, solution
becomes very important in the Evaluation phase.
Finally the cost and risk concerns are at their peak
during the commitment phase just before the Purchase. The business transformation exercise should
take this consumer journey perspective and then develop the strategy and roadmap with the pillars of
People, Process and Technology. It is an Outside-In
strategy more than anything else. Outside-In puts CX
first. We need to see, learn and develop the product
/ service which exactly maps our consumers’ life-style, preferences, tastes, profession, demography,
habits and even latent wishes.
One of my clients in the housing finance industry
developed a consumer portal, which would automate
the complete home loan application process. Taking
a clue from digital consumers’ very high consumer
service expectations, this client developed a huge
call center, which would be ready 24x7 to resolve
any query they have. They hired us to assess their
digital strategy and recommend a way to launch this
program successfully. We did a voice of consumer
survey to learn their life cycle of taking a home
loan. The survey results were surprising.
MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE CONSUMERS
PREFERRED MOBILE AS A MEDIUM. Eligibility
& EMI calculator tools, personalized service and consumer reviews are the primary reasons people decide
on the company they chose for their home loans. It
wasn’t the interest rate. It wasn’t the digital loan application process. It wasn’t the 24x7 call center that
consumers wanted. In fact their consumers wanted the
service support to be available through self service features on a mobile app rather than talking with someone
in the call center. A consumer who accesses the web-site through a computer will have different preferences
than accessing it through mobile wherein everything
right from the wireframe, flow, UX, speed, promotion,
sharing etcetera has to be designed very differently to
suit the consumers’ style and needs.
A BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE TODAY STILL REQUIRES PEOPLE, PROCESS AND
TECHNOLOGY BUT IT CAN NO MORE START
FROM WHAT THE COMPANY WANTS. It has to
start from what the end consumer wants. Technology
investments cannot be decided by what is trending.
People structure cannot be decided by the product
categories you have. Process cannot be determined
by how the supply chain has to flow. I know it is easier said than done but take a first step today to start
thinking from Outside-In perspective and be conscious of putting CX first while making any important decision for your organization or department.
Haresh Panjavani is a Managing Consultant with Capgemini
Consulting in the Mumbai office. He specializes in the areas of
digital transformation, consumer experience, supply chain and
operating model design. Haresh has designed and executed
projects in consumer goods, manufacturing, financial services,
oil & gas, steel and logistics industries. He is global mentor for
International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA). E-mail
the author at
haresh.panjavani@gmail.com.
