The ’60s hold a certain exotic appeal to millennials. After all, it was within the semicentennial technology spread to every aspect of our lives. Less than 30 years ago, large computers used to reign as super machines. Today we hold smartphones with even better capabilities in the palms of our hands. Dizzying results of technological innovation makes it hard for the younger generations to imagine how people dealt with daily struggles in the ’60s. For example, did you ever think about how a business owner generated leads without social media?
You Had to Literally Know Your Customers
In the 2010s, getting to personally know each one of your clients is impossible for most businesses; there’s too many data, and the market is simply too big. So, almost all companies categorize customer data to create customer profiles. However, personal and sustained contact with a customer was a necessity, not a luxury. If you were a grocer, you had to manually keep track of Mrs. Smith who bought a bottle of fresh milk every second day. If you didn’t, you either lost a customer to the next grocer street or caused an extra bottle of milk to spoil. Customer experience used to be a lot more customized to the individual.
Branding Used to Take Your Time
To turn leads into loyal customers is the best way to grow your business. It is a hard task, we agree. Now, catching up new customers is easier thanks to hi-tech tools, such as tracking customers via Adwords, user experience and analytical tracking tools. However, in the ’60s, one couldn’t have thought it was possible to track a user’s location and send her promotions depending on her behavior. Instead, you had to distribute paper handouts or put commercials on buildings. This meant capturing so little of your customers’ time and attention. Building up your brand and getting recognized used to require a lot more effort. Your clients had to discover your business step-by-step; completely different than the omnichannel experience of today.
Before Social Media, There was Always Social Network
Here’s an image you can visualize easily: There is an angry customer who shares her bad experience with your business on social media. You immediately deal with the client directly to de-escalate the negative situation. Both negative and positive experiences are now shared at a speed of light on social media. Also, consequences both of them can be seen at a speed of light, too. For this very reason, social media is a double-edged sword.
Things were a little different back in the ’60s. Word of mouth, face-to-face interaction, and other slower communication channels ruled the day. This meant completely different marketing and advertising strategies. Maybe there were no social media, but the social network was still in the backdrop of creating your brand story. So, the social component of customer experience has simply taken on a new form.
The central idea of customer experience didn’t change since the ’60s: Connection to your customer is vital for your business. In retail customer experience, the essential part is the one-to-one relationship with the customer. Unlike the past, though, you need hi-tech tools to help you accomplish your goals. As Pisano, we provide the perfect toolbox for an excellent customer experience journey.
