As companies that have completed the first digital transformation phase become more ‘mature’, the next phases of their strategies require developing. According to expert Stanley Huang, CTO and Co-founder, Moxtra, these strategies need to become more customer-centric to attract to retain consumers.
Digital Journal: Are traditional industries starting to transition toward a customer-centric business model?
Stanley Huang: Over the last two years, companies have figured out how to successfully digitize their business. As digital-first businesses become the new foundation for success, companies will need to turn their focus toward building up customer-centric business models as the organic next step to digital transformation in 2022. Especially in the mobile era, where customers expect companies of all sizes and in all industries to have a mobile app, successful business will require customer-centric business workflows, a mobile leading app and, most importantly, internal team alignment on the future of digital operations.
For high touch industries delivering high-value client service, the demand to make this transition will be more urgent than other, lower-touch industries resulting in the digitization of many traditionally digital-averse industries.
DJ: Will customer-centric business workflows become the norm?
Huang: Some of the world’s leading consumer-focused brands like Uber and Doordash are operating as customer-centric workflow apps. Vertical-focused industries have been relying on automated workflows for years – but they have primarily been focused on internal functions that are employee and productivity-centric.
Now, businesses of all types need to turn their automated workflows outward to tackle customer needs. To do business in the mobile era, businesses will be required to adopt customer-centric workflows that improve the customer experience. In 2022 and beyond, businesses will need to reimagine their workflows from the perspective of their most critical business entity: the customer.
DJ: How will the boundaries between business backend systems and customer communication channels alter?
Huang: Backend systems are designed to manage internal data, processes and operations in an organized fashion. They help determine which ROI measurements are about productivity, management efficiency and cost savings. On the other side, customer communication channels are designed as unstructured, data agnostic utilities that often focus on omni-channel and bots to understand customer intent.
In 2022, businesses will need to blend the backend and customer communication channels together to ensure data and communication are deeply coupled to offer the best customer experience possible.
When businesses think about the customer experience holistically with a customer-centric backend leading to a more analytical frontend channel, the customer experience will be improved across the entire lifecycle.
