The Fourth Industrial Revolution as already experienced by many brands, companies and nations around the world suggests that there will be realities and customer experiences that can be created today that were previously unthinkable. As a result, the next 10 – 15 years will be the most dynamic and volatile years to lead and do business in because of the rapid level of change that is taking place. The Fourth Industrial Revolution will bring change at a speed, scale and force unlike anything we have experienced before in the history of human kind and will affect every essence of our human experience.
It is no wonder today that companies continue to play catch-up where technology is concerned as it moves at a rate that is 5 times faster than the management of companies on any given day. By the time you are introduced to a new app or piece of technology and knowledge, there is a new app or new knowledge that has already been published.
As a result, brands and companies today operate in an environment that is highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA).
How to VUCA proof your CX?
1.Live In A VUCA World
For many brands and companies, the inability to accept change and prepare for the future of their business often results in a underwhelming customer experience, a loss of customers and a diminished bottom line. The centre of it all is people and what resonates with them. So recognise that you are operating in a VUCA world by leveraging the nature and speed of change forces and change catalysts.
2.Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
One of the most common traits of the world’s leading brands and companies is that they have learned the art of compartmentalisation. This means that at every touch point in the customer journey, leading brands are able to approach teething issues or integrate innovations by introducing them incrementally. What is the best way to eat an elephant? Eating it with one bite at a time. A key tool in achieving this is by creating a system that harnesses agile operations and configuring your business operations with turbulent times. This will result in increased responsiveness of the customer journey as the need of your customers change.
3.Sweat The Small Stuff
Customer experience is such a personal and intimate experience whereby the lack of a prudently planned journey may easily detour customers from associating themselves and being loyal to your brand. It is therefore, pertinent to consistently learn your customers in these changing times, as changing times are accompanied by changing needs. If you are a clothing retail store and a customer sees Kim Kardashian on television receiving a top shelf customer experience, you ought to be aware that when that customer leaves their home and comes to your clothing retail store they will expect to receive a Kim Kardashian customer experience. So sweat the small stuff!
4.Clarity Of Vision
A clarity of vision is what excites people, both customers and staff alike. Whilst operating in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world; one thing remains, and that is people always remember how your customer experience makes them feel. Consider this – in the busy city of New York in the USA at lunch time hundreds of working people make their way to a caravan that sells nachos on a daily basis. These are folks who can afford to purchase any other food item but choose to buy nachos to an extent where more often than not they stand in long queues in the rain, just to get their nachos. What does this suggest? We know now that operating in a VUCA world possess consistent challenges in being able to future proof our customer experience however, even in the midst of changing times, customers are people and people buy feelings. By sequencing your customer journey appropriately and competitively that can give your brand and company the advantage to leverage it to the end state of the vision and solidify its place in the market place.