Vertical communication, boring products and standardized experience. Do you think that pleases people? Well, in the not so distant past, it was not necessary to worry about these factors, but nowadays, that is no longer enough. Buying and selling relationships have changed and, to please the consumer 5.0, it is necessary to focus on customer experience.
After all, when demand was much greater than supply, companies didn't have to make as much of an effort to satisfy customers. However, everything is different now. The product no longer fully satisfies. Now, Consumers want to interact with the corporation and experience unique experiences.
Want to understand how this “new consumer” behaves and what to do to satisfy him? Read the text!
First of all, understand the evolution of the consumer!
Understand that the main factors for changing consumer behavior are significant transformations in the economic and social context around the world, with technology as the main driver for this. Check out the change in consumers:
1- Consumer 1.0
This type of customer is one who only had access to what was produced and sold locally, whether at fairs or by store salespeople. Therefore, these people did not have many options and accepted what was offered without much resistance or research.
2- Consumer 2.0
With the increase in the number of stores, customers now had a variety of options to choose from. It was therefore possible to conduct price research and compare the quality of competitors' products.
Furthermore, with the arrival of television, the best-selling products were those that appeared on the “small screen” and aroused desires in those who saw them.
3- Consumer 3.0
The 3.0 consumer is one who is already beginning to have access to the internet. At this stage, e-commerce has emerged as yet another consumption alternative, while social networks and blogs emerged as ways to convey information and influence people, with commercials and advertisements that last much longer than the 30 seconds on television.
4- Consumer 4.0
Consumer 4.0 is already someone who uses the internet on their smartphone, which has made online shopping much more practical and dynamic. As a result, it was no longer necessary for individuals to use a computer to shop, and they could do so from anywhere.
5- Consumer 5.0
Finally, this category includes digital native consumers, that is, those who were born with access to technology or who saw the transition from the analog to the digital world up close.
The most significant change in behavior during this period is in the type of relationship these customers want to have with brands. They are no longer satisfied with just the product, but with the experience.
Consumers want to have access to value-added items and have the best shopping experience, in addition to being able to interact with brands horizontally and instantly.
The characteristics of consumer 5.0
1- He values freedom of consumption
Customers no longer need to travel to a physical store, much less be limited to business hours to make their purchases. They want to consume whenever they want and on the platform that is most convenient at the time, whether by phone, email, social media, website or app.
Furthermore, they also want to move through all channels seamlessly, without having to restart their purchasing journey.
Check out: Multichannel Marketing
2- It influences the decision of other consumers
Access to information has made consumers much more discerning about their choices. So, to make a purchasing decision, they watch videos on YouTube, read reviews on blogs and also want to hear the opinion of those who have purchased that product/service.
Therefore, the 5.0 consumer knows very well that his opinion has power over brands. If he has a bad experience, he will certainly use this power to negatively influence other people, which highlights the importance of investing in this concept.
On the other hand, if he has a good experience, he will become a brand promoter.
3- He values relationships
Ultimately, the consumer no longer wants feel inferior or “hostage” to a company. They want to interact with brands in a closer and often informal way, in the same way they talk to friends. They want increasingly direct communication.
This means that the old vertical and rigid customer service model, where people find it difficult to communicate, no longer works. It's time to invest in customer experience!
But after all, what is customer experience?
Customer experience can be defined as the impression that the customer in question had regarding your brand or product from any contact, whether through a personal interaction or visual contact with your logo, for example.
It is through a good customer experience that the 5.0 consumer will identify with your brand.
It is very important to emphasize that customer experience should not be associated only with the customer's initial impression, so your company must focus on the durability of a good customer experience, even after the purchase process itself, through after-sales service.
What does your company already do to improve the consumer experience?
Does your company already have a process in place to deal with this type of consumer? How does it interact with them? If this is not something that your company has in place yet, contact us and find out what to do!
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