Consumer Experience Becomes Top CIO Priority For 2014

Each year, chief information officers often find themselves presented with a number of new hurdles that they and their information technology staff members have to somehow clear. With the arrival of 2014, CIOs have already identified a whole new set of obstacles that they will have to meet head on, establishing their priorities and enlisting the help of IT professionals to mitigate any issues.Emerging technologies have made the lives of many business executives and their representatives a great deal easier, as they have revolutionized the way they work. However, CIOs, who are doing all the behind the scenes implementation and maintenance of these solutions, are well aware that their jobs have only just begun when it comes to ironing out all the kinks associated with these innovations. With the coming of the new year, these professionals have sat down and assessed what needs to be done in terms of improving the tools their companies already have at their disposal, compiling an extensive to-do list in the meantime.IT modifies company operations to meet consumer demandsAccording to Forbes, one of the most important items on CIOs’ dockets for the coming year is to cater their organizations’ operations to customers. The longstanding motto “the customer is always right” has reached a new level recently. The Internet and social media channels have given consumers more sway in shaping how businesses are perceived by the public, which, in turn, has prompted corporations to pay more attention to what their customers are saying so that they can adjust their operations accordingly.In fact, the news source explained that online platforms have awarded users so much power that it is practically imperative that companies make changes and meet consumer demands in order to succeed in their markets. For this reason, businesses cannot continue to do what is best for themselves. This means that they have had to make significant adjustments in almost every portion of their operations. With everything from marketing to customer service following a sale in need of an overhaul, organizations have been putting more pressure on their CIOs to develop solutions that can help them seamlessly adopt revolutionary practices that will please their clients.In light of all this, IT executives now have to up the ante and bring in employees with more well-rounded backgrounds so that they can design user experiences that will please the masses. InformationWeek explained that reaching customer demographics and effectively engaging them has become a top priority for CIOs, making them adjust their companies’ tech game plans so that they can successfully deliver what users want.Improve customer experiences on the individual levelAmong all the strategies that IT professionals have been taking to better this component of their businesses, one is to appeal to individual customers and make their lives easier. Creating a single user experience is a key tactic that some major corporations have been taking, such as the athletic apparel company Lululemon. InformationWeek cited this organization’s wise choice to improve its customer experiences by developing a mobile app that allows users to locate nearby yoga classes or studios. Additionally, the app provides them with tips from yoga teachers in their area.Lululemon made a smart choice in building this application for their customers, as it reinforces any connections that they may share and ensures that it stays relevant within users’ daily lives. CIOs who have named taking customer experiences to the next level a priority should contemplate making similar moves. To accomplish this goal, tech executives should employ professionals who have the technical know-how to develop IT solutions that promote more personalized user experiences, as well as the people skills that enable them to pinpoint exactly what customers want.InformationWeek pointed out that mobility should be a main focus for any CIOs taking on these initiatives. This means that companies need to not only build apps either directly linked to their operations or pertaining to their field in general, but that they also have to think about developing their mobile websites. By doing so, IT executives can ensure that users will be able to access and use these resources without any hassle, which will make them have a more positive opinion of these companies that make their days that much easier.