Six Trends For Customer Relationships In 2021

While 2020 is slowly drawing to a close, the digital transformation continues to pick up speed: As the current CIO Priorities Report confirms, IT decision-makers in all industries used the crisis as an opportunity to expand IT investments, above all to improve the customer experience – and to strengthen customer relationships in the long term . Which developments on customer and data management are gaining pace, which new trends are emerging, and how you can keep your finger on the pulse: CRM manufacturer BSI dares to look into the crystal ball and provides 6 CRM trend forecasts. 

Trend forecast 1: The Crisis Will Give Digitization A Further Boost

The digitally sparked competition for the favor of customers is not diminishing: Companies in all industries are well-advised to develop their newly digitized business models further and to join forces to form ecosystem associations: Whether a restaurant has QR code access to the virtual menu with e- Email order function, or an insurer uses a successfully digitized data and address form to achieve a high rate of consent for promotional offers: this dynamic when interacting with customers must now be maintained – and implemented in-depth in 2021.

Trend Forecast 2: The Smartphone Will Become The Most Important Platform For Addressing Customers

Three revolutionary products in one device: The groundbreaking message that Steve Jobs brought to the people when the first iPhone was launched does not seem to have arrived today. At the latest, a glance into the children’s room reveals which computing device will be the first point of contact for customer contact in the future. Exciting customer journeys can be triggered via the smartphone, whether by email address, phone, social channels, and with or without a push notification. All media lead to customers – and most of them reach them via their mobile phones. Thanks to geo-targeting, the way to the next branch can be shown, and tailor-made support can be offered – around the clock: Mobile makes it possible.

Trend Forecast 3: Sharing Is Caring – Corporations Enable Absolute Customer Loyalty

In the interplay of digitization and new data management concepts, new services are constantly emerging, especially in ​​the sharing economy. For example, more and more banks are now making payment transactions easier for their customers through partnership offers, contactless payment apps, live chats to help with online payments, and financial benefits for employees through mergers of banks with companies for data exchange. The basic requirements are efficient CRM systems – for a 360 ° view of customer history and to provide even more targeted contact information for the automated approach in 2021.

Trend Forecast 4: Zero-Party Data Make Customer Needs A Reality

Every good relationship comes to the point where wishes go unheard. If the language comes up, it says: “Why don’t you just ask me?” It’s the same with zero-party data: Consumers now realize that sharing specific data with companies can be mutually beneficial. Providers who provide their customers with good reasons for doing so through intelligent and entertaining campaigns, suitable queries, and attractive incentives will benefit in the long term. This is how good customer relationships can be developed, and services can be personalized profitably – and all of this is by data protection.

Trend Forecast 5: Acceptance Of Complicated Tools Is Decreasing

Just as the exchange between companies and customers intensifies, so does the interaction between humans and machines. With the high demands on usability that users place on the applications and user interfaces of their remote end devices, they want to find automation tools in everyday business. Implementing use cases and business processes quickly without going through IT – that’s what counts today.

Trend Forecast 6: CRM Systems Need Continuous Innovation – And Connectivity

Classic CRM systems are now a commodity. To survive on the market in the long term, solutions must have differentiating features that offer customers real added value and investment protection: A success-critical factor is continuous product development because an outdated solution with countless updates for companies to “patch up” ultimately leads to the Dead end. Best-of-breed applications are in demand that are user-friendly. They have a high degree of connectivity to existing IT systems in companies and ecosystems such as the SDA Open Industry Platform and Zapier. If such service platforms are then managed centrally in the Digital Experience Platform and pure data management is brought together with targeted contact management, the CRM trends in 2021 can be fully exploited.

“Based on modern CRM systems, companies have the opportunity to differentiate themselves in the market with top customer service and intelligent data analytics,” comments Zeno Hug, CRM and CX Community Manager at the software manufacturer BSI. With a range of over 8000 available MarTech solutions and the enormous possibilities for personalization, it cannot be a question of forcing customers to do something that does not meet their needs. The best possible digitized processes and a good CRM should meet the criteria of a courteous butler: You should provide individual advice where and when it is needed and support you in managing the process without hindering or releasing decision-makers from their responsibilities. “

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