Imagine you’re in the market to buy a new dishwasher. You receive an email from Lowe’s claiming that a new LG model is a customer favorite. But then a few friends tell you their Frigidaire dishwashers are the best they’ve ever owned. Who are you more likely to believe? Probably your friends. SEMrush’s research shows that 88 percent of people have the highest level of trust in a brand when a friend or family member recommends it.

Companies are increasingly trying to promote customer experience into a key selling point. And for good reason—the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2021 found that 75 percent of customers will pay a premium to buy from brands that provide a great customer experience. Exceptional customer experiences require exceptional customer experience design. But what does that really look like?

Companies have long focused on customer experience; some may even say they’re, gasp, customer obsessed. But buzz words aside, all this means is that they’re putting the customer at the center of everything they do. From sales to marketing and support, these companies aim to please at every step of the customer journey. With such a heavy focus on needs of customers, far too often the needs of agents get overlooked. And in reality, the two are more intertwined than you might think.

It’s impossible to provide great customer service without great customer data. You can’t give people the white-glove treatment if you don’t know anything about them. Especially in today’s data-driven world, companies need to leverage their customer data to make informed decisions and improve their business. Yet some organizations struggle with outdated or insufficient information. Other brands capture plenty of data but fail to connect it all.

Not every quarantine trend has had a long shelf life—if you abandoned your sourdough starter eons ago, you’re not alone. But when it comes to customer service, some habits born out of the pandemic are here to stay. The Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2021 found that 64 percent of customers started using a new support channel last year. Among them, 73 percent say they plan to continue using that channel this year and beyond.

Social media isn’t just the tool of teens—over the past year, it has quickly become one of the fastest-growing channels for customer support, with tickets up 181 percent since the start of the pandemic. Now, more than ever, customers are looking to connect with brands on their favorite social media platforms. In addition to meeting customers where they are, social media is a great method for customer outreach whether or not you pay to promote content.

The year 2020 shook SMB and enterprise businesses across the world. According to the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2021, 75 percent of company leaders surveyed agreed that the global pandemic accelerated the acquisition of new technologies.

Customers want to feel seen and understood by the brands they love and buy. According to the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report, 76 percent of customers expect personalization during their online experiences, including recommendations based on their previous purchases. One way businesses can provide personalized experiences? Create comprehensive customer profiles.

Here are the newest integrations from Zendesk to help your agents provide great experiences.

Providing exceptional customer service is paramount to building brand loyalty—it’s not enough to just have a great product or service. According to the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report, roughly 50 percent of customers would switch to a competitor after just one bad experience. On the flip side, 75 percent are willing to spend more money on a brand that provides a positive experience.