Strengthening the Link Between Connectivity and Customer Experience

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. Good Connectivity Drives Better Customer Experiences
  3. Leaders Characterize Customer Experience in Terms of Direct Involvement
  4. Initial Service Delivery Matters Most for Good CX
  5. Connectivity Mechanisms Should Focus on Making Delivery ‘Just Work’
  6. Complexity is Preventing Better Customer Experience Delivery
  7. Strategic Priorities for Improvement: Skills and Processes, Then Tools
  8. Success Means Setting Clear, Customer-centric Goals
  9. About the Research
  10. About Jon Collins

1. Summary

Business today is all about the customer. As enterprises look to avoid a race to the bottom, both corporate and consumer-facing organizations are increasingly looking to differentiate based on customer-oriented criteria, rather than simply focusing on cost and internal efficiency.

A key question for infrastructure technology decision makers is, what difference does the underlying platform make when it comes to delivering on customer experience goals? More specifically, what positive impact can connectivity have on customer experience?

Ninety-two percent of respondents to this report say there is a strong link. This is based on research from GigaOm based on interviews with strategic IT decision makers in enterprise organizations across North America and Europe. 

Aimed at enterprise decision makers and providers alike, the study found that:

  • Connectivity technologies are viewed as significant enablers to achieving customer experience goals. While many organizations feel they are already utilizing technology to drive value for customers, a similar group feel they still are progressing towards this goal.
  • More progressive organizations see direct customer involvement as the number one strategy to drive better customer experience. Organizations need to go beyond lip service to customer criteria and engagement.
  • Initial service delivery factors are the most significant when it comes to measuring customer experience, above other criteria such as responsiveness over time.
  • This puts the spotlight on quality of service in terms of connectivity characteristics that help organizations respond best to their customer experience needs, followed by security, compliance and governance.
  • The main priorities for connectivity mechanisms are on making service delivery ‘just work’. Automated provisioning is top of the list, together with integration and self-service; less important were ongoing management criteria such as usage reporting or flexible billing.
  • Complexity, and its consequences, can be seen as the main causes preventing better customer experience delivery – these factors manifest in terms of the need for more skills and a lack of impetus from the leadership.
  • Internal improvements are therefore top of the list for organizations looking to improve the link between connectivity and CX: improve skill sets, deploy better processes and train staff in CX culture.
  • Recommended actions include engaging customers directly in strategy setting, to focus relentlessly on initial service delivery, and over time, to shape connectivity to meet the business need.

In conclusion, given that no specific connectivity feature can magically deliver improved customer relationships, the priority is to get customer-facing business models and operational processes right. As connectivity and other infrastructure capabilities get smarter over time, the need for skills and roles that link business goals and customer value with planning, defining and assuring connectivity will only increase.

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