Brands
Guest Column: The greatest brands are the ones that take ‘Onus’ of customer experience
NEW DELHI: Customer experience is about brands demonstrating their commitment to prioritizing and anticipating the problems of the customers and taking the onus to provide a solution to the customers. One of the frequent problems that were most customers face while purchasing online is the whole complexity of the 'return' process.
Agile brands are managing this, by using technology to simplify this process and some cases even ensuring that the need to return itself reduces. Service technology is changing the face of customer support and service and empowering the customers to make their lives convenient at all hours of the day.
The three, brands that are emerging as shining stars by using technology in effective ways to deliver effortless convenience.
a) Zomato
When buying from an aggregator, the problem often becomes about who takes the onus in case of a product quality issue. In a recent experience, there was a wrong order delivered by a restaurant via Zomato, an Indian restaurant aggregator. The fault according to me lay with the restaurant, as it was a wrong variation of the dish that had been served up. It did not a case of an incorrect order picked up by the delivery boy. The restaurant in itself was unreachable / not contactable. None of the numbers worked. However, a simple chat exchange solved my problem; Zomato took onus and refunded the amount without the need for an actual conversation with a customer service executive or even any follow-up on emails/chats, etc. A simple chat message that can resolve the consumer’s concern, can create a lasting impact in the customer’s mind.
b) UNIQLO
Given the pandemic, physically shopping for clothes is becoming an 'preferred' option for many, and rightly so. Yes, online shopping for apparel is possible. And it has its perks like saving time and effort, allowing us to compare brands, filter and shortlist our options at the convenience of a click, the aftermath of dealing with returns because of 'size' related issues just makes the shopping process longer. It is then that I do miss the occasional suggestion of the salesperson for the right size. Uniqlo’s size measurement technology tool solves this problem so efficiently for people like me. This simplistic technology on their website for online shopping requires you to enter your physical measurements, and it prompts a recommended size for you for that particular apparel, thus making the customer experience significantly much better. Gone are my days of taking the onus of opening size charts and trying to assess which size would be comparable basis a standard size chart and hence a better fit for me.
c) Amazon
Amazon has always been at the forefront of introducing innovations aimed at making the experience easier for its customers. It provides customers with a whole host of options to ensure minimal effort and convenience for the user. Minimal effort is a key and a determinant of your experience regardless of whether you are buying or returning a product. Effortless experience is what leads to customer loyalty. Many retailers are reaching new heights in ensuring a seamless purchase experience however only a few can surpass expectations when it comes to the 'return, ' experience. Amazon is a stand out brand in this aspect. Both the process and policies are aimed to please the customer and require minimal effort. Customer support is technology-driven yet easy to access, pick up is prompt and convenient to organize again via technology, and policies are fair, which are essential elements to ensure a seamless 'return experience.’
(The article is written by Hansa Research senior VP and national head – CX Practice Piyali Chatterjee. The views are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Brands
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to step down after 18 years in role
Board begins CEO search as Narayen prepares to move to chair role
SAN JOSE: After nearly two decades at the helm, Adobe’s long-serving chief executive Shantanu Narayen is preparing to pass the baton.
The company announced that Narayen will transition from his role as chief executive officer once a successor is appointed, ending an 18-year run that reshaped Adobe from a boxed software seller into a global cloud and AI powerhouse. He will remain chair of the board following the leadership transition.
Adobe’s board has formed a special committee to oversee the succession process, led by lead independent director Frank Calderoni. The committee will evaluate both internal and external candidates.
“Shantanu’s leadership has been instrumental in Adobe’s transformation and in positioning the company for the AI-driven era,” Calderoni said in a statement. “As we begin the next phase of succession planning, our focus is on identifying the right leader for the company’s next chapter while ensuring a smooth transition.”
In a note to employees, Narayen described the moment not as a farewell but as a pause for reflection after a long journey with the company.
“I love Adobe and the privilege of leading it has been the greatest honour of my career,” he wrote, adding that he will continue to work closely with the board over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership change.
Tributes from the technology industry quickly followed the announcement. Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer Satya Nadella congratulated Narayen on what he described as a “legendary run” at Adobe.
“Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world, and expanded what’s possible for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands everywhere,” Nadella wrote on LinkedIn.
“What has always stood out to me is the empathy you’ve brought to the creative process and the example you’ve set as a leader. Grateful for your friendship, mentorship, and for all you’ve done for Adobe and for our industry.”
Narayen’s career at Adobe spans nearly three decades. He joined the company in 1998 as vice president and rose steadily through the ranks before becoming chief executive officer in December 2007.
During that time, he orchestrated one of the most significant reinventions in the software industry. In 2013, Adobe made the bold decision to abandon traditional boxed software sales and move its flagship creative tools such as Photoshop to a subscription-based Creative Cloud model. The shift initially rattled investors but ultimately transformed Adobe into a predictable recurring revenue business and a case study in digital reinvention.
Narayen also pushed Adobe beyond creative tools into the world of marketing technology and data-driven customer experience, spearheading acquisitions such as Omniture and Marketo. Those moves helped build Adobe’s digital experience division and broaden its reach far beyond designers and photographers.
The numbers tell the story of that transformation. When Narayen took over in 2007, Adobe generated roughly $3 billion in annual revenue. Today the company reports more than $25 billion. Over the same period, its workforce expanded from around 3,000 employees to more than 30,000.
In recent years, Narayen has steered Adobe into the generative AI era with the launch of Adobe Firefly, aiming to keep the company ahead in a rapidly evolving creative technology landscape.
Born in Hyderabad in 1963, Narayen studied electronics and communication engineering at Osmania University before moving to the United States for a master’s degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University. He later earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Widely regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s most steady and effective leaders, Narayen has earned multiple honours during his career, including India’s Padma Shri in 2019.
For Adobe, the upcoming leadership change marks the end of a defining chapter. For Narayen, however, the story is far from finished. As he told employees, the company’s next era of creativity, powered by AI and new digital workflows, is only just beginning.
