Delivering amazing experiences is the key to customer success

The following post is from Kirill Tatarinov, Executive Vice President, Microsoft Business Solutions.

Convergence, Microsoft’s premier business event taking place this week in Atlanta, is a celebration of business achievement and an opportunity to connect, engage and discover. We are pleased to highlight the achievements of great Microsoft customers such as Delta Air Lines, New Belgium Brewery, Lotus F1 and others that are succeeding by connecting with their customers.

This is an exciting time. Microsoft Dynamics is on the cusp of delivering a staggering wave of innovation to the market this spring that will significantly help businesses deliver amazing experiences to their customers. These technologies will deliver value in the areas that organizations need most to connect with their customers – marketing, commerce and sales, customer care and operations. We will also unveil a set of new mobile applications that are part of our update to Microsoft Dynamics. Additionally, we will be enabling cloud deployment of our flagship ERP solution - Dynamics AX - that will allow businesses to more strategically use the power of the cloud.

Businesses need the best solutions to keep up with the transformative changes taking place around the world. We live in a more connected world, and the implications to businesses are staggering. Peoples’ expectations have changed dramatically: 70 percent of the buying experience is based on how the customer feels they are being treated; more than 90 percent never complain, but simply leave and never come back; 70 percent of customers form their opinion from their first interaction -- and it sticks; 86 percent of customers are happy to pay more for superior service. Greater connections, more access to information and more interactions with peer groups have resulted in people being more empowered and more enlightened.

This Era of the Customer means new challenges and opportunities for business. To win in this new era, businesses must have both the technology that optimizes for these experiences and the right changes in their culture and approach to customers. Businesses must have an approach that emphasizes human connections that remain at the heart of business success. Only then can they deliver the amazing and consistent experiences that are today’s new currency.

It starts with technology that is designed for businesses in this new era. Our commitment is to help our customers thrive in a mobile-first, cloud-first world. The Microsoft Cloud provides a unified cloud platform with a complete array of infrastructure services and cloud business solutions – all accessible through the devices people love and with tools that enable business to unlock the right insights at the right time. This means turning mass data into useful insights; transforming social collaboration into a simple and natural process; making sense of the ocean of social conversations and measuring responses to customer concerns with a stopwatch and not a calendar; making people highly productive through the use of technology.

Technology alone is not enough. Business leaders must champion significant changes in the culture of companies to accept and embrace this new reality….creating an environment that takes full advantage of technology, collaboration and insights so people can better serve the customer. In this era of the customer, every interaction matters, so making every employee become customer-centric is critical. This change of culture must start with leadership – building trust among employees and trusting them to meet the needs of customers.

Advanced technology, coupled with the right cultural shifts, will position businesses to deliver amazing customer experiences. Experiences are the currency in this new era, offering value to customers and growth and success to businesses. Delivering experiences that are consistent, in the right setting, intentional -- with every interaction having a purpose, and every interaction being personal. It’s about delivering the type of experience so that the customer knows they are supported, understood and valued. This combination can increase customer loyalty and turn cynical people into enthusiastic fans.

These high value scenarios and interactions are at the heart of our strategy as a company. We are partnering with businesses and organizations around the world to transform the customer experience and allow our customers to achieve more. Convergence is an opportunity to discuss these major trends, challenges and opportunities.

With 12,000 business people joining us here in Atlanta and thousands of others checking in virtually, this is a great opportunity to hear from those that matter most - our customers. We are proud to work with businesses to help them succeed today; we are honored to provide the solutions and technology that help them connect with their customers; and we are privileged to work with them to shape a successful future.

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