[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/11\/13\/every-year-is-the-year-of-the-customer\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/11\/13\/every-year-is-the-year-of-the-customer\/","headline":"Every year is the year of the customer","name":"Every year is the year of the customer","description":"Have you heard? It's the year of the customer. Organizations that lead in CX have higher revenue, higher client satisfaction, and higher growth.","datePublished":"2019-11-13","dateModified":"2020-11-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/kayla-christianson\/#Person","name":"Kayla Christianson","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/kayla-christianson\/","identifier":384,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7e8adf9447cedd92317b76e6cf0dd91957cd4f83586e13eaea55882bc4a4b4fe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7e8adf9447cedd92317b76e6cf0dd91957cd4f83586e13eaea55882bc4a4b4fe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail-504ee1f2840d1e574f83166bda038380.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail-504ee1f2840d1e574f83166bda038380.jpeg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/11\/13\/every-year-is-the-year-of-the-customer\/","about":[{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/customer-experience-general\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]}],"wordCount":692,"keywords":["B2B Customer Experience","B2B Industries"],"articleBody":"Have you heard? It’s the year of the customer.Of course you have.Lately there’s been a trend in content creation: it’s all about the customer. We’ve gone so far as to say it’s “the year of the customer” – but isn’t every year the year of the customer?As a business, are your customers the first thought you have, or do you merely\u00a0say\u00a0they’re top-of-mind?The year of the customer: B2B customer-centricity is crucialThink about your B2B experiences. Is your focus on your competitors, revenue, and overall sales taking precedent over the B2B experiences that you offer?Your focus and mindset each year need to be centered around your customer \u2013 it\u2019s that simple. We know that\u00a0B2B customers are demanding B2C experiences\u00a0and personal touches. Is your organization answering that call?Don\u2019t wait to discover that sales and engagements are dropping \u2013 you need to make B2B CX the primary consideration when crafting your strategic plans.Of course, there\u2019s many different avenues you can take when it comes to customers, but in the end, it all comes down to the fact that everything you do should be about and for them. Without them, your business doesn\u2019t exist.While that\u2019s a lot to cover, keep in mind that overall experience. If you start with the knowledge that an outstanding CX really does matter and will earn ROI, it\u2019s easier to create a strategy that\u2019s customer-centric.How digital transformation changed B2B CXUnderstanding the multiple aspects of customer experience and how to improve your relationship with your customer is important.\u00a0But what does the \u201cyear of the customer\u201d really mean to you?\u201cThe customer (and data about them) should be at the center of a digital transformation, with decisions made around it.\u201d Christina Lagoda,\u00a0SMITHUnlike the constantly evolving B2C realm, it could be fair to view B2B as having been stagnant for a long time when it comes to engaging with customers \u2013 B2B buyers don\u2019t have many choices, right?Wrong.As digital transformation evolves and more Millennials and Gen Z are becoming your B2B customers, things must change. The expectation of \u2018delight\u2019 is now mandatory, even for a standard B2B purchase. Truly understanding your customer and their wants and needs are critical. Without these insights \u2013 and the ability to act on them \u2013 your business will face extinction.Organizations that lead in CX have higher revenue, higher client satisfaction, and higher growth, and using B2C as an example of how to treat B2B consumers should be prioritized to keep up with the times \u2013 and customer expectations.Your focus determines your outcomeThe more focus you place on your customers instead of competitors, the better your business outcomes will be. In fact,\u00a0Forrester considers\u00a0customers the “sole source of sustainable competitive advantage.\u201dWhile the ever-changing needs, technology, and shopping habits of customers has been the primary source of disruption, that doesn’t mean that your competitors are immune to these challenges.B2B customers are people, and like all people, they’re constantly on the lookout for new ways to simplify their lives. It’s not knowing about the new technology that your organization is using; it’s about making that new technology work seamlessly for them.Customer-focused marketing professionals are investing or expanding their brand\u2019s current technological capabilities. Are you up to date with the latest CMS? How’s your commerce platform? Have you upgraded recently? Has your buyer’s journey on your site not changed since 2015? Are your customers happy with the process, or do you get no feedback at all?Customers are the life of a company. That’s why finding moments of joy in the buyer journey is important. It’s why your customer experience shouldn’t just be\u00a0good enough, but be ever-improving.So no, this year isn’t the only year of the customer. Every year is.It’s the year of the customer.Win the B2B moments that matter.\u00a0Explore the future of customer experience here.\u00a0"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"11","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/\/11\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"13","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/\/11\/\/13\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Every year is the year of the customer","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/11\/13\/every-year-is-the-year-of-the-customer\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]