How companies can embrace Customer Science

Science can be defined as the study of a phenomenon to present a theory that teaches us about it. With the tools bestowed upon organisations by breakneck technological advancement, a studious approach to CX is emerging. Customer Science – an idea in its infancy with the potential for revolutionary growth – is the union of AI, behavioural science, and data to gain a greater understanding of consumer activity and stimulate customer-driven growth.

Colin Shaw, CEO of Beyond Philosophy, says, “Most organisations do not look at a rational, emotional, subconscious, and psychological level of CX.” Consumer data is what provides this nuanced perspective. Considering the banning of third-party cookies on Google, Mozilla, and soon Apple, businesses must try harder to collect high-quality earned and first-party data. And the richest data is coming from young consumers.

Gen-Z and young Millennials have grown up as digital natives, thus, having different expectations from older consumers. 87% of Gen-Zers wanting personalised shopping experiences makes them more likely to consent to data collection across various touchpoints such as the online shopfront, newsletters, loyalty programs, and social media. Furthermore, with 74% of customers being likely to buy a product solely based on experience, organisations should leverage technologies such as AR/XR. Being able to virtually try on items or see how a product will look in a customer’s space is both a functional and memorable shopping step where even more consumer data can be collected.

These younger customers are also very aware of their data rights as 85% of them agree knowing a company’s data privacy policy is crucial before purchasing. Going above and beyond to assure customers their information is being ethically used and protected is best practice for businesses. Transparency over the data being collected, how long it’s kept, and what companies are doing to keep it secure will consolidate customer loyalty.

Data collection, however, is merely the first step; interpreting it to analyse customer behaviours is where the real work is done. Machine learning algorithms can scale this mountainous data quicker than any human and highlight insights that allow organisations to predict their customer’s needs.

While on the topic, AI-powered chatbots are streamlining CX by efficiently handling customer service queries. With 85% of Gen-Zers preferring chat or automated interactions over a human agent, businesses should tap into this cost-effective and powerful resource.

Fuelled by data such as purchasing habits, interests, and social class, machine learning algorithms can target customers with marketing and suggestions that have been inferred from their behaviours. Such hyper-personalisation creates rocksteady CX which consumers yearn for.

With the blistering developments in technology, the digital divide between all ages is collapsing as more people become tech-savvy. For customers, CX industry standards are set once they experience a good feature a couple of times. At this point, businesses can’t afford to have omnichannel inconsistencies, ugly websites, or a shopping experience akin to going through airport security. With Customer Science, businesses can adopt an approach to CX that’s as learned and informed as the consumers they’re serving.