It's a strange time to live in, with Scheibenreif saying to think for a minute with your consumer hat on - you both want to be connected with and left alone by brands.
Technology has made this more complicated in creating the ‘everything customer’.
The everything consumer needs the 'ultimate experience' from your brand, no matter which device or touchpoint is used to interact.
Customers want everything.
— Deon Engelbrecht (@deon_engel) September 16, 2019
The everything customer.#GartnerSYM
Scheibenreif says to take this sentiment further within the company by tapping into the new kinds of talent now accessible as we hire younger generations.
Scheibenreif says a multiexperience mindset is needed to meet the needs of the "everything customer," who want companies to meet them where they are, not simply via an app or website. #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/KZvzdJWXiC
— Hypertext (@htxtafrica) September 16, 2019
Now Gartner is talking customers, who "want everything" according to Don Scheibenreif. This presents a technology challenge for many CIOs, he adds. #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/0wZh0h9ADC
— Hypertext (@htxtafrica) September 16, 2019
Looking specifically to consumer cohorts, Scheibenreif said 'Gen Z', the next generation of customers, will be considered adults by the year 2021, which is just around the corner.
Gartner @donscheibenreif tells the 1,100 #GartnerSYM attendees: « Generation Zed. The next generation of customers will be 21 years old by 2021. 61 million people, with their own clear set of principles. ». #CapeTown #CIO pic.twitter.com/fSwY8Nu9NI
— Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™ (@Gartner_SYM) September 16, 2019
Scheibenreif pointed out that we now finally have plasters that match more skin tones than ever before, such as the Plasta brand, which was started in South Africa.
Buffy the vampire slayer needs @PlastaSA stash. pic.twitter.com/TpSi4hX4OY
— Lee�� (@LeeTheRabbit) October 27, 2015
Being inclusive leads to better value, as your brand is a better fit for the diverse society of today.
But what if your future customer is not 100% human, asks Scheibenreif. For example, HP created InstantInk, where the printer itself orders its own ink (from HP, of course), when its levels start running low.
That's just one example of smart devices and the rise of the internet of things (IoT).
Taking this further, we need to think beyond the call centre as the main customer interface and ensure all touchpoints are as technologically advanced as possible.
Take the US, as an example - there are already currently 10 ways to book a flight - even via Instagram, and 15 ways to order pizza - even through your smart TV.
Insert the shocked-face emoji, but that’s multi-experience in a nutshell.
It goes beyond the tech investment to expecting the unexpected, wrapped in rich digital services.
Insights from the #GartnerSym:
— Aslam (@Aslam_Levy) September 16, 2019
- Create experiences that deliver value
- Plan Multi Experience solutions for citizens/customers
- How you will serve AI intermediaries (robots as customers)
- CIO’s must take a Product Centric approach, as traditional IT infrastructure is outdated
Watch the #GartnerSYM hashtag for further coverage of the Gartner Symposium.
