Becky Huling, Vice president of Customer Engagement Marketing at FedEx, told Loyalty360 that the company’s technology platforms pave the way for brand loyalty.
“FedEx has consistently been at the forefront of providing our customers with the technology tools for shipping and visibility tools for tracking that they need to meet the demands of their business on fedex.com,” Huling explained. “Our global email preference center technology also allows customers to select the type of content they want to receive from FedEx, whether it be information about our specific transportation services, sports sponsorships or our corporate social responsibility initiatives. We use our technology platforms as an enabler to tailor the experiences for our customers and ultimately drive stronger loyalty with the FedEx brand.”
Huling noted that today’s tech savvy, multi-device owning customer is increasingly empowered with always-on access to online information and a wealth of choices and channels that has created high expectations from a customer experience perspective.
“Business decision-makers now have the same expectations we all do as consumers,” Huling added. “Simply put, it’s “know me, really know me – and add value in a way that shows you know me before you ask me to take action.” The high expectation on customer experience is reshaping their engagement and relationship with brands. It’s less about the product and more about the experience they have with a brand. In addition, many “start-ups” or “digital-only” companies are taking advantage of disruptive technologies to differentiate their offerings and customer experience and win customer mind share and loyalty. Differentiating on customer experience through design thinking, digital transformation, and a mobile focus present the biggest opportunities for brands and marketers. Become a disruptor or be disrupted.”
What’s more, Huling noted that being active on social media channels allows brands to reach new audiences and engage on deeper levels with existing customers.
“Social media gives brands the ability to have two-way conversations about things that are essential to the brand and, more importantly, to discuss things that are important to their target customers,” she said. “Social engagement gives brands a way to tell their stories to new audiences and anticipate the conversations that are most relevant to those audiences.”
Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat, however, now are moving away from being just tools for customer engagement and are becoming key tools for marketers’ use in facilitating commerce.
“Decision-makers from businesses of all sizes now turn to social media for information and smart brands are learning how to join those conversations at relevant moments,” Huling said. “It is critical for marketers to understand the impact of social media and to leverage these channels to the advantage of the brand.”