What do we know about retail today? It’s all about the customer experience. In fact, 2020 is the year customer experience is predicted to outpace price and product as the key differentiator. In some sectors, particularly the luxury space, this shift happened a while ago; other types of businesses to varying degrees find themselves forced to keep up.

And what do we know about the customer experience?

The customer experience knows no boundaries. Today, your customer can discover and engage with your brand on so many platforms. If we limit ourselves to only the digital options, there’s your website, social media platforms, advertising, any directory or review sites that include your business, other websites that mention your company in one way or another, and of course, whatever Google has to say.

Expectations are high, no matter what. Amazon has done everything it can to train customers to expect a frictionless retail experience, with personal attention and infinite product selection. While shoppers understand that every store isn’t Amazon – and in fact, they may be shopping with you because you’re not – their experiences with Amazon influence their expectations of you.

How to Understand What Kind of Customer Experience You Really Provide

If you really want to know how well your business stacks up against Amazon – or any of your competition – there are a couple of ways to go about it. One is the classic retailer’s advice to shop your store. Easy to say, hard to do. Try researching your business online the way a customer would. Do this in an incognito window on your browser, so you get results more representative of what the general public sees. Visit your website. See if you can find the answers to common questions, like where are you located and when are you open. Make a purchase. Go through the process the way your customers would and see what you think of the experience.

When you’ve completed this process, you’ve collected some valuable observational data. Observational data is most valuable when it’s used in conjunction with objective data, which is the type of digital data generated by your actual customers as they visit your website and interact with your company online.

The simplest, easiest way to learn how to access and derive insights from your data is to join TTG’s CBD Club. CBD stands for Customer Behavior & Data – the secrets to better understanding, attracting, and serving your customers. Each session provides you with action steps you can start using to improve your business immediately. Start today to prepare yourself for the best holiday shopping season ever. Sign up here today!