Hi Aida, tell us about yourself and your background.
I was born in Madrid, and I am a Clinical Psychologist who has always had an interest in human behavior and particularly in how we consume and why we prefer some brands over others. This was the reason why I decided to specialize in consumer psychology and neuromarketing and why I ended up being part of Kantar as a Customer Experience Consultant.
How did you first start working in the CX space?
After working in the start-up environment under different roles in Marketing & PR, I joined the International CX team at Kantar 5 years ago, where I have been involved in different projects mainly focused on understanding the Voice of the Customer. I participate in the end-to-end management of transactional programs (B2C & B2B) from set-up phase to day-to-day running via Kantar CX platform CemTric®. I am involved on the survey definition, integration of new touchpoints, new metrics & KPIs, reporting and analysis. As part of the client service team, I work closely with the clients to help them identifying pain points and best practices from which they can benefit to improve the experience they provide to their customers.
What are some of the common misunderstandings related to customer experience?
One of the major misunderstandings that I have seen in my non-large experience in this field is to consider Customer Experience as Customer Satisfaction. This is a misinterpretation since, although satisfied customers are important, it’s not all that matters. What really strengthens the relationship and loyalty with a brand is the experience itself and being able to delight and surprise customers becomes critical.
Have you seen any interesting new trends in eCommerce this year?
The pandemic situation has turned e-commerce itself a trend and this changing environment has forced many brands to “join” or “die”. Providing a prime online experience is a challenge and here is where artificial intelligence has become essential. AI-Driven solutions such as recommendation engines or augmented reality help online retailers to shape the purchase from a simple transaction to a memorable experience, even better than at the point of sale. Have you seen L’Oréal makeup simulator? This is definitely what I consider adapting to the new consumer needs.
eCommerce boomed in 2020, and consumers started leaving more product reviews online. How can we make the most out of this momentum?
Customers consider digital reviews as personal recommendations and having a good online reputation has become a critical issue for many brands. In the words of Jeff Bezos “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell six friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000.” My suggestion would be to be very proactive and establish a communication line with all customers, no matter the issue. Customers need to feel cared and listened, and that their opinion is important.
What are some CX companies/solutions you’re keeping your eyes on right now?
Kantar CX platform CemTric®. Based on the latest technology, CemTric® helps companies to monitor customer experience and activate customer-centric mindset across the organizations. It provides a 360 vision of the customer journey by combining CX data with operational data and brings the possibility to connect with customers very easily. Based on advanced analytics, it provides complex insights in a very agile and easy-to-follow way. Companies should rely on this type of technology for CX management, to break internal silos, detect pain points and monitor ROI.
So many things changed in 2020. While some things are going to return to “normal,” what are new trends and habits you think will stay with us in the long term?
Online shopping with a much more demanding consumer. This new situation has changed us all and our habits as consumers as well, where the experience matters even more than the service or product itself. Customers are expecting premium and personalized experiences, even when it comes to daily groceries. Successful brands will be the ones ready to adapt and shape their strategies accordingly.
Do you believe focus groups are still relevant in the era of eCommerce? Why?
Focus groups are still an important source of information allowing to capture real-time reactions, however just as shopping experiences have changed, the way in which feedback is collected under focus groups should change as well. Online focus groups will allow obtaining a greater number of responses at a lower cost and time.
Last but not least, what is your favorite CX metric?
Definitely emotions! Although NPS is still a very important KPI needed to establish market benchmarks, it focuses on recommendation and do not provide a full picture of the customer experience. Emotions are directed linked with brand loyalty and deep dive on how customers felt about their latest experience will provide much more information than mere satisfaction. Moreover, Emotional Index can also be combined with open comments analysis, helping to understand the reasons behind those positive or negative feelings.
