Imagine a world where every interaction you have with a brand—no matter whether it's online, an email, a text, or an in-store experience—is tailored just for you, according to your likes and your preferences. That might sound far-off, but this personalized customer service is coming fast.

Cutting-edge brands are already heading in this direction by delivering more accurate, relevant, and personalized interactions online and in-store. The end result is the ability to give each customer a voice and to create unique customer experiences as part of a customized journey to increase engagement and drive sales.

Most companies, however, are still struggling to break through all the noise and to make a meaningful connection with their customers. A recent study found a giant disconnect between how well businesses think they are marketing and customers' actual experience. Moreover, though 90% of marketers agree that personalizing the customer experience is critical to their success, four out of five consumers believe that the brands they interact with do not understand them as individuals.

Here are the five most common mistakes to avoid when trying to build personalized customer experiences.

1. Not capturing the voice of the customer

In the past, marketers had to build broad categories to create customer segments for campaigns. Today, the rapid growth of customer interaction data and advanced analytics converge to make personalized marketing a reality. And marketers are taking personalization even further by delivering customer communications that take into account real-time behavior, interests, and preferences.

To deliver this level of personalization, businesses must understand their customers and discover their unique set of likes, dislikes, and preferences. A smart company will spend time and energy to find out who the customer is as an individual and harness that knowledge to serve the customer better.

2. Breaking down company barriers that inhibit customer experience

Read the Full Article