The CX race is on

The tech sector has led the way in customer experience, but there's no room to slow down

Welcome to the experience age

The rise of customer-obsession in the technology sector

The tech industry has always led the way when it comes to innovations in customer experience. Brands like Apple, HP, and Dell have repeatedly disrupted markets with a relentless focus on the needs of the customer. Steve Jobs famously highlighted the importance of customer experience at the Apple Developer Conference way back in 1997, saying: “You have to start with the customer experience and work backward to the technology. You can’t start with the technology and figure out where you are going to try to sell it.”

The Experience Age is defined by greater complexity, omnichannel being the only channel, technology becoming more human and, in turn, brands being more important than ever

Alex Craddock
Former Global head of marketing, personal systems, HP

Silicon Valley pioneers like Apple may have led the way, but the stakes have been turned up a notch in the last few years; Markets have become increasingly saturated, disruptive startups like Amazon, Slack and Netflix have ruthlessly challenged the status quo, and emerging technologies such as mobile, AI, machine learning and data analytics have transformed consumer expectations and engagement. Companies are in a race to digitize their operations from top to bottom, ramping up the pressure to deliver a seamless CX.

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We're fully obsessed
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What's the customer got to do with it?

It is no longer enough to provide a good product and a smile; consumers today expect constantly connected, hyper-personalized, interactive experiences, delivered directly to their consciousness, wherever in the world they happen to be. Give them what they want, and they’ll keep coming back, spend more money and introduce you to their network. Disappoint and they won’t delay in seeking out another option – making sure to tell their friends in the process.

Only 10%

of companies regard themselves as very advanced at CX

Source: Econsultancy/Adobe, 2019

Alex Craddock, former global head of marketing for personal systems at HP, describes this shift as a transition into a new age, following the Industrial and Information Ages that came before. “Now we have transitioned to the Experience Age where the experience is key, in everything across both our physical and digital lives,” he says. “We believe the Experience Age is defined by greater complexity, omnichannel being the only channel, technology becoming more human and, in turn, brands being more important than ever and our experiences becoming more personal.”So, why have tech brands become so obsessed with customer obsession and how can they make a success of it?