Three Things Consumers Wish Were Simpler — And How Brands Can Deliver
By Shannon Andrick, Alliance Data
In a world where time has become consumers’ most precious commodity and consumers are bombarded with literally hundreds of messages a day, consumers are saying one thing loud and clear: keep it simple. They’re looking for communications and experiences from brands that are easy to understand and engage with. But what we learned in our recent study, The Great Divide, is that brands are under-delivering on that expectation — often without realizing it.
By studying consumers’ perceptions of 31 different needs related to brands’ communications and marketing experiences, we learned that simplicity-related needs are among the most important. While brands do a good job of prioritizing a simple experience in stores and online, they fall short when it comes to marketing and communications. And while 84% of consumers claim clear content is important, only 49% of them believe brands are doing a good job of delivering it. With about half of consumers reporting that brands aren’t meeting their needs in this area, brands are left to wonder: What does simplicity look like to consumers, and how can we deliver it?
First, less is more. Consumers are craving clear, straightforward, easy-to understand content — especially if it’s promotional. While brands try to balance product promotion, deals and offers, and disclosures in their communications, clarity can quickly be lost along the way. The solution? Brands should prioritize their messages, picking only the most important and not trying to do too much in one communication. There’s a limit to what consumers can process at one time, and fine print adds friction. Brands should test streamlined messaging against existing content to determine where there’s room to improve.
Consumers also are looking for simplicity in their service experience, as they want to resolve issues on their terms and time. Simply put, they want it to be easy to get hold of the brand and easy to then solve their issue. For example, 80% of digital consumers report that easy-to-find contact information online or within an app is important, but only 49% of consumers say brands are meeting this need.
In the era of artificial intelligence and machine learning, there’s never been a better time for brands to ramp up their customer service accessibility, whether it’s through chatbots, live chat or other digital solutions. But whether it’s a simple phone number or a modern solution, the most important thing is that the contact information isn’t buried and that consumers can easily see all their options for reaching a brand.
Finally, consumers are afraid of missing out — so they want brands to make it clear whether a sale or promotion applies to what they’re shopping for. Both consumers and brands agree that the ability to easily and quickly tell if the consumer qualifies for a sale, discount or promotion is a highly important — but unmet — need. Though it’s important to 77% of consumers, only 43% of them feel retailers are meeting the need well.
It comes down to building trust: consumers don’t want to find themselves in a “gotcha” moment, where they are lured in by an advertised promotion, only to learn it comes with unexpected exclusions or is more limited than it appears. By being upfront and explicit about what a promotion includes — and what it doesn’t — brands have the opportunity to stand out as transparent, trustworthy and on the side of consumers.
The customer experience is more important than ever, and it’s increasingly critical that brands bridge the divide between customers’ expectations and the brand experience. As technology and consumer behavior evolve, brands need to maintain a laser focus on the simplicity that consumers are asking for, especially when it comes to marketing and communications. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of asking a few key questions: Is my message crystal clear and easy to understand? Does she immediately know where to turn if she needs help? Will she quickly know if she qualifies for a promotion?
When it comes to simplicity, there’s no such thing as over-delivering. Retailers that prioritize overcoming the “simplicity gap” will have the opportunity to stand out in a crowded field of messages, many of which are too complex and unclear to capture consumers’ attention. Staying connected to consumers’ priorities and keeping messages simple will ultimately add meaningful value to the brand experience, and keep consumers coming back for more.
Shannon Andrick is Vice President of Marketing Advancement at Alliance Data’s card services business, and focuses on emerging trends in the retail landscape. With more than 20 years of retail merchandising experience, Andrick’s areas of expertise include CRM, patterning and competitive analysis, deepening customer loyalty through innovative products and services, and growing credit sales penetration.
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