In 1975, Meera Khanna visited
an upmarket store in Delhi and
bought a hair dryer. It was of one of
the two brands sold in India at that time.
In 2010, Rini, her daughter, surfs the web, reads consumer reviews, scours the frequently asked questions, posts online queries, and finally orders the hair dryer of her choice from an online
shopping mall.
Digital consumers are redefining the value propositions in every industry. The role of the consumer is no longer passive. These digital consumers seek ubiquitous connectivity, transparency and information. Peer influence plays a significant role in their purchase decisions. Digital consumers do not depend on the organization for many things; they depend on themselves and each other. Self-service is a trend that is sure to redefine how enterprises of tomorrow engage with their consumers. Whether it is customer service, information exchange, product reviews or buying decision, the notion of ‘self-service’ is gaining prevalence very rapidly.
Active, informed and assertive consumers are going to
demand greater personalization in the way products
and services are delivered to them. This is the end
of macro-segments leading to the rise of N=1, or
engaging with each consumer, one at a time. Digital
engagement, by its very nature, allows enterprises
to customize and personalize relationships with their
consumers and prospects. Enterprises of tomorrow
would have to use IT innovatively to ensure the
effectiveness and economic viability of extensive
personalization.
The value of deep engagement extends beyond
personalization. What is exciting the enterprises
the most is the ability to engage with their end-users
through dialog, feedback and interaction in
real-time, helping them gain consumer insights like
never before. Today, an enterprise can have direct
formal and informal contact with their consumers and
prospects. Such large-scale daily conversations with
consumers, coupled with unstructured data analytics,
provide deep insights for enterprises. This makes them
realize their dream to actively listen to the consumers
and proactively involve them in the co-creation of
new products and services.
We partner with our clients to get the best out
of this new scenario by leveraging structured and
unstructured analytics, facilitating an active interface
between enterprises and their next-generation
consumers through social networks, and by
formulating innovative platforms for co-opting
the new. |