Hello August! And in 2017 it's surprising that we are still asking if your business is as connected as your customers.  And today more than any time in history, consumers are; Connected, Empowered, Purposeful. You've heard the terms but what does it mean for your business?

The connected customer has emerged as the driving force in a world of constant innovation, mobility, and disruption. New technologies have put customers in the driver’s seat of the marketplace giving them power over which brands sink or swim in the digital age. Businesses that treat customers with awareness and intelligence and put the customer experience at the centre of their business strategies will succeed in this new connected world.

So what defines the connected customer and how can businesses keep up with their evolving expectations?

1. Make it Easy

Connected Consumers are more demanding, more informed, and savvier than at any other time in our history. They want brands and businesses to help make their lives simple and convenient. 

The smartphone is the hub of their connected lives. With current advances in data analytics, brands will increasingly use emerging technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, to enhance the shopping, banking, travelling, living and learning experiences to make them more convenient. Personalisation will be a key building block. For those that get it right, the result is deepened loyalties and customer lifetime value. The key to success is to be led by what consumers want, not blinded by what the technology can do. 

2. Make it Fast

Recent advances in technology have created an age in which customers are empowered to communicate, research, browse, and purchase wherever they are and whenever they want. Today’s customers expect companies to quickly innovate in accordance with their changing preferences — otherwise, they’ll simply switch brands. 

Fact: Consumers’ sustained attention span is currently five minutes; seven minutes less than it was in 1998. Connected Consumers live with the dial set to “fast forward” and they are busy being busy. They occupy a world where judgements are snap, the news is fast and they click-to-buy. In business and in pleasure, smiley faces and thumbs down emoji’s provide sentiments that replace verbal and written communications. Connected Consumers not only expect everything quickly but lose their patience even faster. In fact, more than half (54%) of consumers globally agree that “If a new technology product is not simple to use, I lose interest.” If you want to keep pace, you need to know how, where and when to grab their attention. For your message to break through, planning is essential. Connected Consumers’ need for speed makes the job of a brand even more relevant today.

For brands and businesses, the pressure is on. In social media, reputations are made, and lost, in moments. The winners understand their customers better than ever before, and deliver what they expect, when they want it and quicker than ever before.

3. Make it Personal

Connected Consumers expect an experience when they interact with a brand. Using customer and data analytics to deliver that engagement can generate long-term relationships. So, despite their affinity for faster and smarter technologies, connected customers still want to be treated as human beings with unique preferences — not addresses on an email list. In exchange for their loyalty, customers expect to be heard, understood, and appreciated by companies, like they are when they visit a local shopkeeper. 

Connected customers want to be heard, understood, remembered, and respected. Ultimately, they want to be treated like people — and intelligent applications of customer data can help companies deliver experiences with a human touch, at scale. Seventy-two percent of consumers agree they expect companies to understand their needs and expectations. 

So there you go, Keep it Simple, Keep it Fast, Keep it Personal, that what today's Connected, Purposeful, Empowered Consumers want from your business. 

Connect with us today to discuss ways your business can adapt in the new world of the Connected Consumer.