Mariana Gaspar
The days when business success was solely about numbers and statistics are long gone. Today, it’s about creating experiences that delight not only customers but everyone, including users, partners, and employees. The ever-evolving digital landscape has given rise to the concept of Total Experience (TX), which is revolutionizing how brands interact with these groups of stakeholders. In this article, we explore this concept and why TX is more than just a trendy buzzword but a key driver of success for commerce.
Crafting a unified TX strategy is paving the way for business success, freeing companies from the constraints of separating Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) into isolated silos. According to Gartner, the organizations that provide a TX will outperform competitors by 25% in satisfaction metrics by 2024.
So, what exactly is Total Experience (TX)?
Total Experience is a business strategy that focuses on designing and delivering an exceptional experience across all interactions by connecting Customer Experience (CX), Employee Experience (EX), User Experience (UX), Partner Experience (PX) and Multiexperience (MX) areas.
In essence, TX is a customer-centric approach. It breaks down the traditional divisions and ensures that the whole organization is committed to delivering a unified and consistent journey that captivates everyone who engages with the brand.
This strategy is essential because, in the end, all touchpoints are interconnected and interdependent. A positive experience in one discipline can directly impact others, even though this connection is often disregarded.
For instance, a customer visits a business’s website (part of the UX) and finds it intuitive and easy to navigate, enhancing their overall digital shopping experience (part of the CX). This company seamlessly integrates its physical stores with its e-commerce, enabling the customer to smoothly transition between in-store and the online platforms, which provides convenience and a consistent experience, regardless of their preferred shopping channel (part of the MX).
As a result, TX optimizes these interactions, leading to engaged and satisfied customers, and overall success.
What are the key areas within a Total Experience?
Key areas of a Total Experience strategy
Customer Experience (CX)
Customer Experience (CX) encompasses all interactions customers have with a brand throughout their entire journey and the overall impression these interactions leave. It focuses on the relationship between a business and its clients, be it via promotional emails, product returns, or customer service calls.
Employee Experience (EX)
Employee Experience (EX) involves the interactions employees have with individuals, systems, internal information portals, policies, as well as their physical and virtual work environment. It includes both daily tasks and periodic company events.
User Experience (UX)
User Experience (UX) refers to the feelings and perceptions that users encounter when using a company’s product, website, online store, application or service. It covers every aspect, from visual appeal to the ease of navigation.
Partner Experience (UX)
Partner Experience (PX) comprises all the interactions, satisfaction and overall journey that partners encounter with a company. It reflects the quality of the cooperation and communication that partners undergo during a business relationship. Also, since partners often serve as the link between a business and its end customers, playing a pivotal role in the relationship, their interactions can have a significant influence on customers' experiences and, therefore, on the overall TX.
Multiexperience (MX)
Multiexperience (MX) includes the different combinations of ways users interact, such as touch, voice, and gesture, along with the multiple devices and applications they use during their digital journey across different touchpoints.
The potential of Total Experience in commerce
Traditional commerce often isolates purchase moments, disconnecting them from the broader customer journey. However, a fragmented approach underserves customer needs, and that is why TX is reshaping the commerce landscape.
This is where content and storytelling come into play. To truly achieve a TX, it's essential to harness multi-channel touchpoints and align content to meet consumers' needs from the beginning to the end of their journey, spanning from product discovery to post-purchase actions. This means not only seamlessly interacting in every touchpoint, but also recognizing that emotion continues to be a key driver for delivering positive experiences. In fact, according to Forrester, 54% of customers who report positive emotions such as feeling happy, valued, and appreciated are more willing to forgive brands that make mistakes. So, by integrating emotional elements into the narratives, brands can effectively engage customers throughout their entire journey.
A Total Experience helps customers in three key stages:
1. Product discovery
Let go of the traditional buyer journey, divided into the three stages of awareness, consideration, and decision. Commerce has evolved and customers can now join the purchase process at any point.
A TX embraces this new reality by connecting all touchpoints and combining various tactics, like cross-channel marketing campaigns and personalization, to make the most of this dynamic process. However, these strategies must incorporate powerful content, as it is the key ingredient that will sustain customer connection.
2. Committing to purchase
A TX also guides consumers to the product or solution that fits their wants and needs, while empowering them to commit to a decision. It leverages multiple shoppable moments and reinvents the traditional buying journey, whether online or in store, by incorporating storytelling and digital enhancements. An example of this is social commerce, which can be employed to foster continuous customer engagement.
3. Realize product value
In commerce, a TX transcends the transaction itself. It includes post-purchase interactions that ensure customers continue to perceive value from their purchases after the sale.
This is achieved through relevant campaigns and communications, which can range from invitations to loyalty programs to useful information about customer support channels. These efforts are what will transform buyers into loyal customers.
Wrapping-up
In essence, TX is revolutionizing every sector, by bridging the gap between traditional commerce's fragmented approach and the evolving needs of customers through every step of the customer journey.
With a strong focus on compelling content, TX ensures a holistic and customer-centric experience from product discovery to post-purchase interaction. It is a transformative strategy that guides customers at every step, empowering their decisions and maximizing their satisfaction. TX is the pathway to the future of commerce, where customers are not just buyers but become happy, loyal brand advocates.
CoreMedia empowers you to create seamless experiences, no matter where or when your audience interacts with you. Speak to our experts to find out how you can use CoreMedia to create an impactful TX for your brand.
