Thus, many French people report a more fluid relationship with brands than before, according to the 2015 AFRC Barometer of Customer Effort. However, French brands still seem unconvincing in terms of Customer Experience, as highlighted by the latest Customer Experience Index published by Forrester... Explanation of this apparent paradox.
1- Simplifying the customer journey, a first step in the right direction
"For 60% of French people, the Customer journey in France has become simpler, for the first time in three years" indicates the AFRC study conducted by Médiamétrie.
Truly good news that rewards the efforts of many companies committed to the continuous improvement of customer relations!
According to respondents, 69% of customer journeys did not require any particular effort. A clear improvement compared to the figures from 2014: at the time, only 60% of French people felt that brands made their lives easier. 9 points gained in one year is a significant progression to be delighted about!
However, this figure masks large disparities between sectors and depending on the stage of the evaluated journey. No sector stands out as the "big winner" of this trend towards improvement, but several of them benefit, particularly on specific points such as:
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- the use of loyalty cards for hypermarkets and supermarkets
- Online purchasing in e-commerce,
- The activation of a bank account
- or even signing a new energy contract (electricity or gas).
It is noted that while the steps related to subscription or purchase have received a great deal of attention from companies in order to reduce customer effort, the same cannot be said for cancellation! The latter remains one of the most difficult moments in the journey for 41% of customers, especially in the insurance sector!
2- Multichannel Experience as an Enabler, Not a Replacement for Physical Stores
If customer journeys seem simplified today for many French people, it is mainly due to the facilitation provided by multi-channel approaches. In 2014, the rise of omnichannel was noted by the AFRC and became part of everyday life, but it raised concerns: the disappearance of physical and local commerce, and the complication of purchasing paths due to poor management of the different channels by companies (lack of coherence between them).
Today, these concerns seem to have largely disappeared, and consumers are demanding more. According to Eric Dadian, President of AFRC, as stated in the Les Echos newspaper:
" The freedom of choice has multiplied. The range of possibilities helps the consumer find the most suitable paths for them. The barometer also reveals that a portion of them would be willing to pay more for better quality customer service ».
Consumers have more choices thanks to the different channels, and still appreciate physical stores. Certainly, the web channel is cited first at 59% in the search for information, but visiting a point of sale (18%) is nevertheless increasing. This return to the store is palpable in certain sectors, particularly in telephony. French people prefer direct and personalized exchange when it comes to renewing their mobiles.
3- Yet, the Customer Experience is still far from satisfactory!
Can we say that all is well in the best of all possible worlds? That customer journeys are finally perfectly aligned with consumer expectations thanks to multi-channel approaches, and that their experience is significantly improved as a result?
The latest Customer Experience Index published by Forrester suggests otherwise! This annual barometer ranks 203 European brands from eight sectors based on the quality of their customer experience and consumer loyalty.
In France, the winners do not get away with honors, since 55% of brands are classified as "mediocre" and not a single one of them delivers a superior level experience: MAIF, Yves Rocher and Crédit Mutuel Assurance, the three French brands that emerge as the best ranked in the index, are rewarded with a simple "acceptable". Mediocre results shared by other European countries such as the United Kingdom or Germany.
A disappointing observation, especially when you consider that 3/4 of French business leaders say that improving customer experience is at the top of their strategic priorities!
4- Why this seemingly paradoxical result?
The Forrester study indicates that the most important driver of customer experience quality is the emotional factor. Taking into account this "emotional" aspect in interactions and relationships with customers is what differentiates the notion of customer experience from that of customer satisfaction, for example (as a reminder on this subject, you can reread our article Are you sure you have mastered the 3 key approaches to building customer loyalty?).
It seems that this is where our companies are struggling, as they have primarily focused on the "efficiency" lever in their approach to improving the customer journey. Emotion is certainly a concept that they have more difficulty grasping: it is by definition less "rational" and therefore seems difficult to control and measure.
Yet, it is its systematic and lasting consideration that produces the most tangible effects and the most significant in terms of customer loyalty! Some sectors have realized this for a long time and are doing much better: this is particularly the case in the insurance and mutual insurance sector, from which 7 of the 13 best-rated brands in the Forrester index come!
While a significant step seems to have been taken in simplifying customer journeys, there is still work to be done in improving the customer experience. A challenge that requires careful consideration of the issue of customer listening and understanding: in the United States, a study published by IBM in the first quarter of 2015 indicated that 81% of surveyed companies believe they have a complete view of their customers, but that only 37% of them say that the company really understands them... The gap is therefore very real, even if the difference is narrowing.
KESTIO supports numerous companies (from mid-sized to large corporations) on these topics:
