MAM
Forget brand loyalty & price, efficiency and emotions pivotal in good CX: Report
MUMBAI: What makes a customer tick? A new report by Havas CX would have you believe that efficiency and emotion are the two most important factors when it comes to good CX (customer experience).
Based on consumer attitudes towards CX as a practice by brands, the study titled The X Index surveyed 28,000 consumers across five markets – China, France, India, UK and US – and found that of the 40 criteria analysed, two factors – “the customer journey was simple” and “the customer journey was pleasant” scored the highest – even above other factors including brand loyalty, customer service and price.
The study highlights that in India, the customer-brand relation factor is the main driver of CX efficiency, with a conjunctural impact of Covid. For Bricks & Clicks brands (bricks-and-mortar retailers that have implemented digital transformation programmes), relevant and responsible communication alongside the pleasantness of the experience ranked as the most important factor. For Pure Players, the quality of their customer service was the single most important factor. While pleasantness of experience did emerge as a discerning factor for Pure Players (digital natives, online-only), it was less pronounced than it was for Bricks & Clicks brands.
The top five X Index emerging categories are automotive, hospitality, fashion, finance and quick service restaurants. The top 10 brands in India are Apple, Tanishq, Morris Garages, Maruti, Michelin, Hyundai, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Citroën, AirBnB and Marriott.
Overall, the study, conducted by Havas CX in partnership with research institute OpinionWay, shines a light on the dual but contrasting needs of consumers who demand an almost Darwinist functional efficiency while simultaneously seeking an emotional connection from the brands they interact with (and buy from).
It also uncovers a divide in consumer expectations of Bricks & Clicks brands versus digital Pure Players – with emotional needs ranking higher for the former and functionality for the latter. This underlines a clear opportunity for Pure Players – with functionality very much a given, the emotional can represent a clear differentiating factor.
While the importance consumers place on efficiency and emotion stands out, effective CX is driven by a unique combination of certain factors in each market. Havas CX has analysed this data to identify four key overarching principles of best-in-class customer experience in 2021:
Create personalised experiences
Customers today expect communication to be personalised in accordance to their profile and brands need to take into account their previous interaction with customers in order to deliver data-led personalised experiences. The fact that the fit of brand communication to audience profile as well as previous purchase ranked high for both Pure Players and Bricks & Clicks, underscores the importance of data-led personalisation for an effective CX.
Deliver a seamless omni-channel experience
It is imperative for Bricks & Clicks brands to extend their existing offline experiences onto digital platforms, as the customer is looking for a consistent and seamless experience across touchpoints. And while delivering it, Bricks & Clicks players should pay that extra attention to exceed consumer expectations and deliver an experience that is reflective of the brand’s core.
Be responsible and caring
In the post-pandemic world, consumers are expecting brands to act more responsibly. They expect brands to step up their post-sales service, especially in the case of Pure Players. Ranking high for both Pure Players and Bricks & Clicks is the need to enable consumers by providing them easy access to helpful and useful content on relevant touchpoints throughout the journey.
Simple emotional connect to delight
Customer Experience is integral to all the brand interactions and the customer is not concerned about all the science and data that goes behind the design of the customer experience. What the consumer is looking forward to is a simple and pleasant purchase journey, which is easy to navigate. The simplicity of the experience leads to a delightful CX.
"The Havas X Index is a proprietary tool designed to serve as a global barometer for assessing customer experience. In addition to ranking brands and categories basis consumer’s evaluation of their CX offering, the report also highlights the most important factors that determine good CX,” said Havas Group India, chief strategy officer Neeraj Bassi. He opined that the findings of the X Index report will be particularly useful to CMOs and CEOs who are looking to revamp their CX offering post the pandemic.
According to Havas CX India EVP & business head Prashant Tekwani, while there has been accelerated adoption of digital in 2020, terms like ‘new normal’ and ‘pandemic has changed the way people purchase’ have become overused to the point of becoming cliché ; brands need to rise above generalisations and define their own customer strategy.
"Each brand will have to curate a buying journey that is meaningful, unique, and relatable for the consumer to win loyalty. The lack of in-store experience has forced the Bricks & Clicks brands to look towards technology innovations to personalise the buying experience for the customer, contrary to treating each interaction as a transaction," he added.
Buying family medical insurance online in India has become a common option for individuals who want to secure health coverage for multiple family members under a single policy. However, many buyers are unsure about the exact steps involved in selecting and purchasing the right plan online.
In this guide, you will know the step-by-step process of buying family medical insurance online in India, along with the key factors to review before purchasing a suitable policy.
Step 1: Assess Your Family’s Healthcare Needs
Before buying online health insurance, check the healthcare needs of all family members. Check age, existing illnesses, regular medicines, and the likely need for hospital care later. This helps in selecting a suitable sum insured, policy type, and level of cover. It also reduces the chance of buying a plan that appears suitable but does not meet actual medical needs.
Step 2: Visit the Insurance Company’s Official Website
After understanding the family’s needs, visit the insurer’s official website and read the plan details carefully. Use the official platform to review eligibility, policy wording, waiting periods, cover details, exclusions, and renewal terms.
This step gives a clearer understanding of how the policy works before payment is made. It also helps avoid confusion caused by incomplete summaries on other pages.
Step 3: Compare Available Family Health Insurance Plans
A family medical insurance policy should be compared on factors beyond the premium. Review the sum insured, hospital network, room rent limits, pre- and post-hospitalisation cover, daycare treatment coverage, and waiting periods. It is also important to check treatment sub-limits and specific policy conditions.
Careful comparison helps determine whether a plan provides balanced coverage and whether its terms are suitable for the healthcare needs of the entire family.
Step 4: Choose the Right Policy and Start the Online Purchase
Once the options have been compared, select the policy that best fits the family’s medical needs and budget. Before starting the application, review the covered members, policy term, benefits, and main conditions again. This is an important stage because errors here can lead to the wrong cover amount, an unsuitable variant, or missing details that create problems during policy use.
Step 5: Calculate the Premium Using an Online Calculator
Use the online premium calculator before making the final choice. Enter the correct details, including age, city, number of insured members, and selected cover amount. The result helps in understanding the expected premium and whether the policy fits the annual budget. This step is useful because it allows cost and coverage to be reviewed together, instead of choosing a plan only because the premium looks lower.
Step 6: Fill in Personal and Medical Details
When filling in the proposal form, provide accurate details for each insured member. This includes name, date of birth, contact details, medical history, ongoing treatment, and previous insurance information if required.
Every answer should be complete and truthful. Incorrect or missing details can create difficulty later. Before you submit the form, read every section again and correct any mistakes.
Step 7: Make Payment Through the Secure Payment Gateway
After checking the form, go to the payment page and complete the transaction through the secure payment gateway. Review the premium, policy term, and entered details once more before confirming payment.
After the transaction is completed, save the receipt, reference number, or confirmation message carefully. Keeping this record is useful if you need to track the purchase or follow up on policy issuance later.
Step 8: Download and Keep Your Policy Document Safely
Once the policy is issued, download the policy document, schedule, and any related papers without delay. Read them carefully to confirm member names, policy period, sum insured, and major terms. Save a digital copy in a secure folder and keep a printed copy if needed. Proper record keeping makes future renewals, document checks, and policy servicing easier and more organised when information is required quickly.
Conclusion
Buying health cover online becomes easier when you handle each step with attention. From checking your family’s needs to reading the final document, every stage helps you make an informed choice. A careful approach can reduce mistakes, improve your understanding of policy terms, and help you choose coverage that matches your household’s medical needs, financial capacity, and long-term healthcare planning in a reliable way for your family over the long term.
