One of the key areas to business growth is understanding your customers and delivering against their needs. Many businesses are now using behavioural based personas to design better customer journeys. Behavioural personas are based on research about how your customers interact with your organisation. They can provide you with insights on why customers do what they do. They help you identify the motivations behind customer’s decisions and the experiences they expect from your business.

We live in an increasingly connected age where you can get real-time updates on practically any topic and have packages delivered to your door the next day at the click of a button. The result of this connectivity is that customer expectations are changing rapidly. One area, in particular, is customer service. When consumers have questions or problems, they want answers right away. Fail to meet those expectations and you risk customers switching to other alternatives.

Customer service is by no means easy. Managing this part of your operation can be immensely challenging. Your team must strike a balance between solid technical knowledge and perfect communication skills to deliver the very best customer experience. At StartingPoint, we believe customer experience is something that should be continuously refined. Exceptional customer experiences are the fuel driving the growth of your business.

Planning for a safe return to school in the midst of a health crisis is a daunting task. From gauging student preparedness and determining special accommodations to meeting government health requirements and communicating protocols with parents quickly and easily, there are many factors for IT services to consider.

Gone are the days of siloed customer support, successful organizations can and must collaborate to truly enhance the customer experience.

Customers find it most memorable when they’re treated as unique individuals. This is especially true when it comes to shopping customer care, where personalization goes a long way. Your customers want to feel special and feel like they are part of a community. They miss the days of knowing other people in the store and getting that personal attention from clerks and shop employees.

I was recently asked about the status of Information Security as a salient feature of the product roadmap. I paused. The question by itself seemed to hold up a mirror. It showed how security is viewed in today’s digital-first, app-centric, customer-focussed world. It may seem innocuous but under it lies the silent struggle many corporations face today. It also carries an unarticulated question: how should one align security with business imperatives?

For over four decades, large US businesses have relied upon the shared services business model for cost reduction and operational efficiency. Even now, the trend continues with over 80% of the Fortune 500 companies in the USembracing it for obvious reasons. Presently, Human Resources (HR) and Legal shared services teams have become increasingly popular due to their sensitive nature and the supportive role they play in the overall functioning of a business.