The concept of the customer experience (CX) has risen in popularity in the media, academia and across a variety of industries in recent times, with some companies even changing departments’ names to include the term. This is expected because, as we’ve seen over the last few years, the ability to provide products and services based around the delivery of a quality CX has become key to organizations’ continued success and growth.

Understanding customer needs is of the utmost importance when it comes to establishing innovative CXs that create unforgettable memories when purchasing a product or experiencing a brand. Companies must observe and analyze the ‘customer journey’ from beginning to end so that they can understand what those needs are, including those that customers may not even be aware of by themselves, as well as in the context of when and why a particular product or solution is utilized.

While in-depth interviews, surveys and monitoring of customer behavior, both in-store and at home, are all valuable tools in this endeavor, such activities fall short when it comes to identifying ‘unvoiced’ customer needs. Also, the results derived from these methods may lack accuracy as they can easily be distorted by the subjectivity of the researcher. Likewise, the depth of insight may also vary depending on the capabilities of the researcher.

This is the point where a data-based approach of working more effectively is recommended. In addition to providing greater objectivity, it can help to prevent those unvoiced needs from staying hidden, leading to the realization of a better, more complete CX. From an internal perspective, the use of data-based insight – not one that depends on the subjectivity and competency of the person in charge – also provides us with more persuasive arguments for choosing a particular direction for a product or service over another.

Due to most products and services being connected to wired or wireless communications networks nowadays, collecting customer usage data has become a much simpler matter. Moreover, people of all generations are actively offering their opinions on the products and services they have used or tried out on social media, presenting companies with another valuable source of data that can be analyzed to pinpoint and understand customer needs.

‘Upgradable’ home appliances are constantly updated with new functions and services designed to meet users’ changing lifestyles and tastes. These appliances can also self-diagnose or solve certain operational problems on their own, providing an expanded, more convenient experience.

Establishing CXs based on insight gained from data utilization allows companies to design more personalized products and services. LG’s newly launched ‘upgradable’ home appliances are a good example of this approach in action, offering upgrades that the individual user can select and apply to tailor the experience to their own personal preferences and the unique demands of their lifestyle. LG is currently working on several projects that leverage a full and detailed analysis of customers’ device usage to provide new and personalized experiences.

However, many companies fail to maximize the usefulness of such data due to the following reasons.

First, many employees lack competence in data utilization, or haven’t yet recognized the benefits it can provide, and are stuck in function-oriented thinking with regards to the development of new products and services. To create a solid foundation for optimized CX delivery, both company leaders and practitioners should learn how to analyze and interpret all relevant customer data. Unfortunately, many marketers and product planners still find it hard to make good use of the data they have, relying instead on more traditional customer research methodologies.

Second, data collection and analysis are conducted without a clear definition of CX already in place. There are many companies that collect customer data without a specific purpose – or logical connection to a particular aspect of the CX they want to provide – in mind. This unfocused collection of data is bound to have its limitations, with any insight derived likely to establish little more than the usability of a given product or service. The deeper, more meaningful questions concerning the ‘when and why’ will remain frustratingly unanswered. Accordingly, it becomes even more difficult to gain the perspective needed to properly design the CX.

Third, there is a lack of collaboration between a company’s data analysts and the personnel tasked with understanding customers and designing the CX. Presented with the same data, different analysts may come to different conclusions about what that data actually reveals. Furthermore, if the analyst evaluating the data doesn’t have a good understanding of the industry concerned, any insight provided may prove difficult, or even impossible, to utilize. This is why it is essential to have a close collaboration between field experts and analysts, and that the latter play an active role in experience design and customer-insight delivery.

Once companies can resolve any issues of poor data utilization and use the data in conjunction with other research methods, they will have a valuable resource that will enable them to design new, upgraded experiences. Under this perspective, LG defines the three roles of data in the age of CX, suggesting specific implementations for each.

First, data can function as a trigger to initiate CX design. Therefore, after defining the CX they want to provide, companies should try to maximize their understanding of customers by considering what data is needed and how to obtain it. This can mean utilizing data collected by other teams within the company, or by securing data partnerships with external providers. Only when an organization combines creativity and innovation with a concerted effort to understand the customer can a high-quality CX be designed.

Second, data can act as an enabler, ensuring the intended CX is implemented properly. The creation, interconnection and processing of various data informs the overall CX design, as do ‘digital element’ technologies such as AI and extended reality (XR). Ultimately, in today’s environment, companies need to reinforce their ability to make sense of and apply data faster than their competitors, as doing so will reduce the lead time of any future CX releases.

Third, data serves as a valuable tracer for validating and monitoring the CX. Therefore, after the CX is designed and released, a data feedback loop can be used to verify whether the CX is being delivered as intended. This allows companies to improve existing experiences or seize the opportunity to create an entirely new kind of CX, or even expand into new businesses. As such, establishing a virtuous cycle encompassing data-based CX design and feedback-loop utilization is key to the ability to provide new experiences consistently and sustainably.

In order to truly understand customers and deliver meaningful CX innovation, companies should consider integrating robust, targeted data-utilization into their CX expansion plans from the very start. For most, success or failure in the current market environment will be determined by whether or not they can create the above virtuous cycle, and how much faster they can run that cycle compared to their competitors.

With its ongoing, company-wide digital transformation (DX), LG is leading the way in CX innovation, creating dynamic, new ways of doing things as a business and delivering unmatched value and convenience to its global customers.

This story was edited from an editorial feature article published in The Electronic Times.

By Lee Sam-soo, CDO at LG Electronics

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Lee Sam-soo, Chief Digital Officer at LG Electronics

To bring innovation to every point along the value chain, and ultimately provide maximum and differentiated value to customers, LG is actively engaging in an organization-wide digital transformation (DX). To accelerate the transformation process related to customer experience, LG established the new Chief Digital Office (CDO) division last year. An innovator by nature, LG is changing the way it works, utilizing data and technologies, including AI, to increase efficiency and reduce costs from manufacturing and quality, to purchasing, supply chain management (SCM) and customer support (CS). By encouraging and implementing innovation at every level, LG will not only achieve the above goals, but also be better able to identify and upgrade all aspects of the customer experience (CX).

To fully understand the needs and wants of customers, LG created AI- and data-based solutions that are helping the company refine the CX right from the very outset, from product and service planning to the development stage. When LG launches a product or service, the New eXperience Introduction (NXI)^* process is applied to monitor whether the CX is being delivered as intended. This internal process is an innovation that will greatly improve the value of diverse offerings and brand moving forward.

Based on the company’s experience implementing these programs and systems so far, LG has some recommendations for adopting innovative DX solutions to create better ways of working and CX outcomes.

For companies with legacy to successfully promote DX to internal audiences, identifying key business challenges that can be solved using technology – better known as ‘low-hanging fruit’ – must be a top priority. These low-hanging fruit always exist within any company. So, rather than jumping into projects that seek to change everything or run for multiple years accumulating ever-greater amounts of data, LG identified and focused its energies on points that can be solved now using current AI and data capabilities.

Once identified, it can be divided into two categories: ‘DX for the Company’ and ‘DX for the Customer.’ The former relates to innovation in how an organization works, while the latter refers to innovation in the overall CX space. Introducing any form of ‘DX for the Company’ can be a challenging undertaking, especially where older organizations are concerned. This is because any company with a long history is more likely to have its value chain fixed in the same way it always has been. However, if a company’s methods of working across all areas of the value chain – including development, manufacturing, purchasing, quality and SCM – have remained static for a long time, or there has only been gradual improvements made over time, there is a strong possibility that the application of digital technologies, such as data analysis and AI, will produce meaningful results.

LG is undertaking various company- and customer-targeted DX initiatives and is already seeing excellent results in both spheres. Recently, LG Smart Park in Changwon, South Korea was selected as a Lighthouse Factory by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The WEF confers this designation on facilities that are implementing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and AI, to usher in the future of manufacturing today.

LG’s “Digital Twin” technology is one of the key factors in LG Smart Park being named a Lighthouse Factory. It collects and analyzes data from the factory and its many production lines every 30 seconds, enabling it to accurately predict if any issues will occur up to 10 minutes in advance and restock any parts or materials before they run out. Each assembly line at LG Smart Park is attached to an ‘intelligent warehouse,’ which monitors inventory in real time and automatically requests the re-supply of items needed to keep production running smoothly. Another 4IR innovation that sets LG’s facility apart is the use of 5G network-connected logistics robots that rove the factory floor, taking the most optimal path to transport parts and materials wherever they’re needed. Also, the company has managed to minimize product defect rates and avoid lengthy downtimes by leveraging big data analysis and AI prediction.

LG Smart factory is a success story of DX, its intelligent innovations resulting in a 20 percent boost in productivity, increased worker efficiency and a significantly lower product defect rate. Its impressive performance could well trigger the integration of further DX systems and technologies throughout the entire company, including in areas such as material procurement, product transportation planning, SCM, purchasing and sales. Verifiable success is, after all, the best way to promote any kind of change within an organization.

The application of DX to purchasing processes is especially meaningful due to the supply chain issues caused by COVID-19 and other globally impactful events. LG is currently developing an intelligent system to predict the price and supply volatility of components and essential raw materials. This will be an invaluable resource during pre-negotiations with suppliers, enabling the company to focus on data-based objectives rather than being guided by the intuition of individual managers. Market monitoring, prediction and scenario-response management all become much easier and less dependent on the capabilities of personnel when you add advanced, digital technologies into the equation.

There are many possibilities for and examples of enhanced performance via ‘DX for the Company,’ especially given that the inherent value of DX is not restricted to any particular industry.

Active exploration in the arena of ‘DX for the Company’ is highly recommended because there is already a variety of value chains and data that can be utilized to discover so-called low-hanging fruit. Furthermore, DX has been shown to directly improve key measures of corporate performance, including, but not limited to, productivity and profitability. Whether speaking in financial or qualitative terms, the positive effects that DX can have are relatively easy to communicate to internal stakeholders, which is helpful for increasing buy-in and reducing resistance. In areas such as manufacturing, purchasing and quality, where there already exists an expectation that improvement activities will be regularly introduced, the task of promoting DX becomes, in most cases, even easier.

Lastly, it needs to be emphasized that, beyond the improved performance of an individual organization, the true success of ‘DX for the Company’ will come when these new methods and systems of working have spread to workplaces and corporations all over the globe.

Of course, change management is a key part of ensuring a smooth DX. LG have adopted the ‘10X’ (or ten-times) method to ensure a consistent process of reorganizing its working methods and systems until the requisite changes have clearly and verifiably been made. It’s about expanding the company’s efforts by 10X (or more) in a way that makes sense, with each change building upon the last with an express purpose and goal in mind – not merely change for the sake of it, but to streamline processes and add value in as many ways as possible. Scalability is another part of it, as companies want to be able to develop flexible platforms that can grow with its needs and ‘bend’ in accordance with shifts in the market and consumer demand. With effective change management and the consistent implementation and proliferation of targeted actions, companies can realize the envisioned DX in its totality.

LG believes that an accumulation of successes across the various areas of ‘DX for the Company’ will act as a strong foundation for a successful ‘DX for the Customer.’ By using DX to bring about innovation in the way we work, LG can greatly expand the scope and value of the CX and, in doing so, deliver even more innovative experiences to its diverse customers worldwide, helping to bring about a better life for all.

This story was edited from an editorial feature article published in The Electronic Times. Stay tuned for Part 2, titled “DX for the Customer: Innovating the Customer Experience with Data”.

By Lee Sam-soo, CDO at LG Electronics

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^* In 2022, LG replaced its previous product-oriented development process, known as ‘New Product Introduction’ (NPI), with ‘New eXperience Introduction’ (NXI), a more customer experience-oriented process.

We are living in the era of the ‘experience economy’ where the ability to offer customers memorable experiences has become key to brand reputation and indispensable for business growth.

Within this context, companies need to shed the description of ‘manufacturer’ or ‘provider of goods and services’ and, instead, transform their identity into that of ‘partner for a better life.’ This, however, can only be achieved by building solid, sustainable relationships with customers through the realization of differentiated experiences that offer unexpected value and gratification. In today’s environment, producing quality goods is, by itself, no longer enough to guarantee customer loyalty.

Customer loyalty is now viewed by many as an outdated term, especially where the MZ Generation (a widely-used term in South Korea that encompasses millennials and Gen Z) is concerned. One of the most powerful consumer groups, MZ Generation take a more case-by-case approach to purchasing, rather than sticking with a particular brand out of any sense of loyalty. They typically seek out solutions that fit with their lifestyle, while also looking at financial cost, environmental impact and whether or not the item in question delivers an element of ‘emotional satisfaction.’ On this last point, companies are now using the power of data to help them quantify and categorize the constituent parts of ‘satisfaction’ and develop seamless, hassle-free experiences that offer practical and ‘emotional’ benefits to customers.

Attached and Connected: A New Standard for Brand Power

To gain a competitive edge in the era of the experience economy, establishing an emotional connection with customers has never been more vital. More and more companies are recognizing this fact, and, to this end, are making every effort to improve the customer experience (CX). Fostering a connection in this way can result in a deep relationship between customer and company that grows stronger over time and runs deeper than those based on the former model of customer loyalty.

Unlike physical goods, experiences don’t depreciate in value. Rather, companies can increase the value of the experiences they offer by constantly refining and evolving them which, in turn, may lead to better company-customer relationships and business outcomes. Ultimately, how expertly a company can develop and innovate in all areas of the CX will be a determining factor in their market performance and brand value – not just in the short-term, but in the medium- and long-term as well.

Transformed Retail Spaces to Attractions

With the ubiquity of online shopping, consumers are less likely to spend time going to offline stores – unless, that is, they offer something genuinely exciting or intriguing. Creating unique, in-store experiences or customer zones that offer a relaxing, inviting atmosphere that one wouldn’t typically associate with a traditional retail space, is a necessity for retailers looking to lure the MZ Generation away from their favorite online stores. Such activities also come under the umbrella of CX and represent an important touch point for establishing a greater rapport with and understanding of target customer groups.

Marketing is another arena where brands can connect directly with consumers to actively communicate their values and philosophy but catching the attention of people who encounter more than 3,000 advertising messages a day is no simple feat. In this climate, spatial marketing – which is conducted through sites such as flagship stores and pop-ups – is an excellent solution for standing out, and a great way of delivering one’s unique identity and messaging. A physical space can ‘embody’ what a brand stands for on multiple levels – from décor and design decisions, to location choice and the way on-site interactions are directed or guided. Add in a curated selection of products and personalized demonstrations tailored to the audience, and a brand can provide a versatile experience that customers will likely remember and resonate with.

‘Retail technology’ – the integration of information and communications technology (ICT) in retail settings – further enhances the ability of spatial marketing to stimulate an emotional response, one that can draw potential customers to a brand, or solidify the affinity that existing customers have for a brand.

Spaces are where our lives unfold. They are where we make memories and form opinions and relationships that can last a lifetime, and this is where the true power of spatial marketing resides. Through cutting-edge technologies, the empathetic consideration of space and a thorough understanding of what consumers value, LG continues to deliver original, unique experiences to millions of customers worldwide. Around 800 of the company’s expert designers are currently hard at work developing customized products based on comprehensive and ongoing analyses of today’s diverse consumer lifestyles.

At Milan Design Week 2022, executives from LG’s Home Entertainment and Home Appliance & Air Solution companies introduced LG’s ‘CX innovation’ management strategy and vision for the future. The company is continuously launching special spaces in Korea and various overseas markets, enabling consumers to see, feel and experience LG’s unique CX for themselves.

By Lee Hyang-eun, managing director of the Customer Experience Innovation Division at LG Electronics

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