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When surveyed 81% of buyers say they want to establish real connections<\/a> with brands. But they also don\u2019t want to be overwhelmed by brand communications. So is there any way to satisfy their desires? Yes; you put the customers\u2019 needs first.<\/p>\n Discover how a user-centric approach can transform your product and cultivate strong customer … [+]<\/span> relationships. Learn valuable insights from a tech product development leader on optimizing systems for enhanced user engagement and satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/fbs-accordion>getty<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n I connected with Surbhi Gupta<\/a>, a digital product manager based in Silicon Valley, who suggests that the key to putting your customer\u2019s needs first is to start from a user-centric position.<\/p>\n Gupta, who has 18 years of experience in shaping and predicting major industry trends for growing industry professionals, has helped many companies succeed in delivering a top-tier product to their end users.<\/p>\n She recently spoke at the 2023 Product-Led Summit<\/a> in Las Vegas, where she shared some discoveries made while working on a messaging product for a large brand. Nearly three-quarters of the product\u2019s users said they wanted real-time notifications as one way to connect with the brand. Yet when they got notifications, they started leaving the product out of frustration. It was an obvious (and confusing) case of disconnect.<\/p>\n After approaching the problem from a user-centered viewpoint, Gupta and her colleagues found the underlying problem. Essentially, \u201creal-time\u201d meant something different to users than it did for the company. Users only wanted truly urgent messages right away, not every notification right away. After uncovering this issue, the company began using contextual signals to determine whether to send or delay a notification. The outcome was a far more valuable system built around the needs of users.<\/p>\n If your brand is struggling to put your customer\u2019s needs first, try the following strategies. Each is aimed at fostering more of a give-and-take with your users.<\/p>\n Putting consumers in charge of their notification cadence can be a game-changer. Consider Meta\u2019s revamped notification system that Gupta helped overhaul in 2022, for instance. Consumers were given smart defaults and power to opt-out or opt-in. They could also choose how often they were contacted.<\/p>\n This change helped keep conversations flowing<\/a> between brands and buyers. And what made the premise work was that it was controlled completely by users.<\/p>\n Users will only opt-in if they feel the messages they\u2019re receiving have inherent value and importance.<\/p>\n With this in mind, explore your historic notifications data. Which of your messages get the most responses? Why do users appreciate them over other messages? Are there ways to replicate their success with the verbiage of your future notifications? Be sure to conduct plenty of tests so you can figure out how to please your target audience<\/a>, so they don\u2019t tune out.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easier than ever to set your systems on autopilot. Plenty of AI-powered systems promise out-of-the-box automation services. The only issue is that you don\u2019t want your messages to sound too robotic or generalized. Remember, 70% of consumers expect personalization<\/a>.<\/p>\n It can be hard to know where personalization begins and privacy ends, though. A full 95% of respondents in one recent survey said privacy mattered<\/a> to them. Consequently, it\u2019s essential for brands like yours to figure out how to lean into technology without violating ethical customer obligations.<\/p>\n This is an area to experiment and be hands-on in your approach. Make certain you\u2019re following privacy regulations<\/a> and best practices. Case in point: Evaluate how you\u2019re collecting, storing, and using data. You want to foster sustainable, long-term, trusting relationships with customers. To do that, you\u2019ll need to make sure your automated systems are authentic without losing sight of customers\u2019 rights and needs.<\/p>\n The systems that work well for you this year might not work as well next year. Resist getting too comfortable or you won\u2019t be able to pivot quickly. The last thing you want is to lose ground to disruptive, future-forward competitors with better setups.<\/p>\n Speaking with Gupta about the importance of continuous improvement, she said, \u201cDuring my time at Tesla, I was able to revolutionize automotive sales with a zero-touch experience. That groundbreaking innovation embraced a direct-to-consumer model and empowered customers with the information they need, minimizing the need for sales interaction.\u201d<\/p>\n Because Gupta focused on the needs of customers, her projects were industry-changing. In fact, the Tesla web-based application helped generate more than a billion dollars in revenue and saved hundreds of thousands man-hours each quarter. And other product leaders have been inspired to use this model of direct sales.<\/p>\n By looking over reports consistently and listening to consumer feedback, you can spot and remove friction points as soon as they arise. Less friction means fewer user cancellations and a better user-brand connection. It also creates new opportunities for innovation.<\/p>\n1. Give consumers control over what they see.<\/h2>\n
2. Automate without losing authenticity or risking violations.<\/h2>\n
3. Adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement.<\/h2>\n