KUALA LUMPUR, 1 July 2021 – Technology has fast become the enabler of many things as it prides itself in providing state of the art cool experiences which are meant to be hassle free and efficient. Over the years, a vast sea of companies has been fighting tooth and nail to become the pioneer of technological transformation, at the forefront of revolutionising businesses. However, what is technology without its users? Regrettably, many companies fail to realise that user experience (UX) and customer experience (CX) are in fact the Holy Grail and not technology itself.
The current modus operandi for a majority of companies is to first build the tech then adjusts it to fit business needs before finally injecting it onto its consumers. "In my 25 years of experience, this is a common mistake that can be rather wasteful and expensive. UX is merely an afterthought for those companies. Technology should be designed to fit people's needs and not the other way round," said Peter Eckert, co-founder & Chief Experience Officer of projekt202.
projekt202 is an experience driven company on a mission to bring forth Experience Driven Transformation for businesses and users alike. This means that great CX leads to powerful business results as it strives to build a more holistic customer and business understanding through the use of behavioural science.
Hence, for projekt202, it is always people first, business second and technology third. Not the other way around! It basically looks into the problems people face in their day-to-day life and the strategies in which to solve it first before choosing the technology. Now let us bust some common myths on UX and CX:
Myth: The hype is always about the coolest tech, isn't it?
The actual fact is that people want to have better experiences both at work and at home when using technology, be it on their mobile phones, television or computers. If the CX and UX is second-class and doesn’t address a need then what is the use of owning the latest tech?
For example, Nokia was clearly the leader of technology for handphones in the 1990s where everyone just had to own a Nokia mobile phone. Back then, its technology was hot potatoes and to many it was the best invention ever. However, as time moved on, Nokia failed to catch-up and innovate in terms of customer expectations for CX and UX. Then along came Apple and Samsung who took over the wheel. While it is good to know the difference between User Experiences versus User Interface and various other technical aspects of Experience Design, bear in mind that it is just a part of the right Experience Strategy for your businesses, customers and employees. Cool tech is never enough to ensure customers satisfaction or loyalty.
Myth: But tech still comes first, because that is how you improve UX
Wrong! That is why a mindset shift is crucial amongst transformation players, decision makers, companies and end-users themselves. Technology is just the enabler of better customer experiences and business strategies, which are the crux of the matter. Imagine having to endure multiple, unnecessary steps online and then made to fill up a dozen fields just to make a simple money transfer to a friend or just to make a purchase on a shopping app. Wouldn't it be ideal if the user interface improved to make is as simple and hassle free as possible for the ultimate CX and UX? Technology is merely the method to ultimately deliver a more user-friendly experience and pretty soon your business will be the crème de la crème of the respective industry.
“Once people understand it is all about Experience Driven Transformation, then we are moving in the right direction towards empowering companies to make sound decisions, operate efficiently, retain talent, increase revenue and raise customer satisfaction,” said Eckert.
Myth: Data, data and more data! The more the merrier?
More isn't always better. Companies today are drowning in data involving their customers online movements across millions of virtual and app-driven platforms daily. However, most corporations have very little understanding about why their customers behave the way they do.
Of course, having a huge bank of data pool and data points is a valuable asset, but it is pointless if companies do not know how to apply the insight in the data to their advantage. These precious data sets can help businesses understand customer behaviours and use it to provide valid methods of enhancing customer experience. For instance, an e-hailing app during peak hours: with sufficient data collected, e-hailing companies can advise its drivers on hotspots where most passengers' book rides rather than driving blindly and getting stuck in the dreaded traffic jams. For users on the other hand, the experience can be made better if prompts or notifications are sent by the company as a reminder to book rides early or to share how many drivers are around the bend. This is especially for regular users, whose usage data has already been captured over the months.
“Using aspects of Behavioural Science to understand the core needs of customers, we then use Qualitative and Quantitative Insights to strategize, innovate, design, build and deliver better experiences faster to market. In other words, empathy for people’s real needs and problems!” Eckert highlighted.
Myth: Complex problems require complex solutions
Most of us have heard that there is no proverbial silver-bullet to cure any problem; be it a ‘user-unfriendly’ customer journey on an e-commerce app or a maze-like accounting management system that kills employee productivity.
However, for tackling any kind of problem – be it complicated or simple – the question is not whether we should employ high-tech or basic solutions. It is a matter of finding appropriate strategies to solve the actual pain points that users face, by firstly uncovering the underlying root cause.
“Great UX starts with understanding the user. First, establish a dialog and user feedback cycles during product innovation. Then we test, fail, and move on until we get it right. You can avoid a lot of costly mistakes this way,” Eckert commented on solving UX problems.
Myth: Only large companies can afford quality UX
While many believe that pockets need to be emptied to attain quality UX and CX solutions, they are sadly misguided. It is not only the remit of multinational companies (MNCs) with huge budgets, as any company, even a start-up can afford it. Effective strategies for improved UX can be tailor-made for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) according to their business needs and budget.
In this New Experience era, where what is defined as ‘normal’ can change in the blink of an eye.
Experience Transformation companies like projekt202 can help both big and small companies become more agile to evolve with the market and customer ecosystem.
“Many companies talk about being agile, but few walk the talk. How we make this happen is by helping companies create better customer experiences and in the process drive operational efficiency. The results are; more satisfied customers and employees, while saving time and money for the business,” said Eckert. He added that projekt202 welcomes all companies of any size and industry.
Through this transformation, projekt202 helps companies make decisions, operate efficiently, retain talent, increase revenue and raise customer satisfaction. They also strive to become experience 'transformation evangelist' to bring forth the notion where technology is just the enabler of better customer experiences and business strategies.
To find out more about projekt202 for better user experience, log on to www.projekt202.com
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