77 - 5 Essential Tips For Business Success In 2015

It's a brand-new year and change is in the air: The gyms are packed, people are buzzing with resolutions for self-improvement, and businesses are crafting their strategies for success.

But 2015 is different. Individuals and companies alike are more informed, more connected, and more empowered than they've ever been. When it comes to doing business, this sea change in connectivity can be both frightening and exciting. Companies of all sizes, in every industry, will have to rethink the way they do business and reorient around connecting to their prospects and customers in entirely new ways — but those that embrace this opportunity will unlock virtually limitless potential.

That is, of course, easier said than done. That's why we've boiled down a year's worth of business advice, trends and insights into the five business tips most crucial to business success in 2015.

1. It's All About the Experience

Phrases like "customer experience" and "customer journey" hint at the importance of connecting to your prospect or customer throughout his or her progression from random person to loyal customer. That progression is a lengthy and often convoluted journey, filled with twists and unexpected new directions.

In order to stay connected to your customer throughout the buying cycle, your sales and service teams need a deep and nuanced understanding of who that customer is and what his or her needs are. Customer relationship management tools help you not only to collect those data, but also to refine it, understand it, and communicate it across the organization.

2. Remember the Customer Behind Every Device

Connected devices are changing the way our world works. Thermostats are "smart." As exciting as the possibilities may be, it's important to remember the human being behind every device. When you design your customer service process or send an automated sales email, don't forget that it's going to a human, not a machine.

Social media has taught us the importance of actually engaging with prospects and customers — and that's a lesson that should apply to everything you do in the connected world.

3. Meet People Where They Are

Your prospects and customers are connected on every device and every channel. If a curious prospect or frustrated customer reaches out via live chat, then has to leave her computer for a meeting, she expects to be able to follow up with you over email, from her mobile device, or via phone the following day.

As a business, your job is to provide an omnichannel customer experience — one that allows your customers to move seamlessly from channel to channel when they need to. In the process, you'll find ways to meet your prospects and customers wherever they are.

4. Establish a Mobile-First Mindset

Mobile technology has made it possible to work from anywhere — whether you're logging a sales call, escalating a service case, giving feedback on a marketing campaign, or updating your team on a new development. Businesses that fail to invest in mobile risk being left behind. And investing in mobile doesn't just mean building an app.

It means incorporating mobile into all of your business processes and enabling your workforce to be just as connected as your customers.

5. Make Everyone an Analyst

Big Data: the name alone can seem like too much information. But empowering your sales, service and marketing teams with the right data can be transformative. Think about how much data passes through the palm of your hand when you're a consumer: In seconds, you can figure out how many calories you've eaten and how far you've walked — and then make an informed decision about whether you really need that post-lunch cookie. (OK, you probably already knew you didn't need it — but you also know how cold, hard facts can strengthen your resolve.)

In a business context, data-based decisions come from giving your team access to the data that's relevant to them, and then empowering them to act on it. Take your service agents, who are charged with delivering an effortless experience to every customer. They need to be able to access a customer's case history and account information, address issues on multiple channels, and escalate cases when necessary — ideally, all from a single agent console. Similarly, salespeople need to be able to see the most relevant information about a prospect — company size, location, and purchase history, for instance — without having to dig for it.

Read the full article here: The Business Journals

All the best!