The Internet of Things: What it Means for the Future of Customer Experience

By the year 2020, every human being on Earth is expected to own over 20 smart, connected devices. ^[1] The number of these objects is expected to rise to 200 billion by then, up from only 2 billion in 2006. ^[2] We’re living in a world that is increasingly hyper-connected and, with 15 billion smart objects in the world in 2015, we’ve already begun making the shift towards unprecedented interconnectivity.

The Internet of Things (IoT) may sound like some ominous paradigm shift, but enterprising minds and organizations recognize the substantial potential to capitalize on the momentum. Customer service, marketing and product teams are racing to define customer experience strategies that incorporate and focus on the rise of the Internet of Things. There are exciting, new opportunities to pioneer successful approaches to customer experience within the Internet of Things. As you lay the framework for strategies that will mutually benefit your company and the customer, it’s a good idea to bear in mind the current state of customer experience.

Omnichannel Customer Experience

From predictive, proactive customer service to traditional digital support, cross-channel IoT customer experience strategies must be built around transparency. Similar to the way brands currently handle social media, general customer experience best practices in a world where everyone is connected to countless devices should be authentic, genuine and truly thoughtful.

Complete Customer Journey

The Internet of Things is creating the opportunity to actually reach the customer with that exemplary seamless, cross-channel experience at every touchpoint. Strategies and campaigns should be built around delighting the customer at every stage of their journey, even the initial attraction stage, and delivering value that has a meaningful impact on their lives.

A Whole New World of Data

An uncharted world full of smart, interconnected devices will present new challenges, some unpredictable, but it will also provide access to unrivaled amounts of data. If every human being owns over 20 connected objects, businesses will face the potential to collect an enormous amount of incredibly useful data. Figuring out how and when to use that data in an ethical, non-creepy way that adds value to the customer’s life will be key.

Next Steps

Whether you’ve been ahead of the curve or dragging your feet with embracing the new omnichannel customer experience approach to customer service, it’s not too late to become a leader rather than a laggard. We’re all entering new territory at the same time, so the companies that take the time to figure out how to deliver the best experience across all IoT devices will win the most customers and business.

What is your company doing to prepare for the customer experience changes brought on by the Internet of Things? Let us know in the comments below.

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