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FuturistU > Innovation & Change > Culture of Innovation > Module 3 / 5

Customer Obsession

Instructor: Jeremy Gutsche
Breakthrough ideas and disruptive innovation stem from a deep understanding of the customer. Regardless of what you are trying to communicate, there is a continuum of impact based on how you convey your message based on how well it connects to consumer culture.

In this module, you will learn to do just that. A cultural connection is empowering. It aligns with the soul of one’s identity and beliefs. The goal is to enable you to not just speak to your customes, but with them.
Workshop Questions:
1. What does your customer actually purchase from you?
2. What is their end objective? Push harder; what is it, really? Why?
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Omnichannel Acceleration
Brands diversify retail presence across digital & physical channels
Trend - As traditional DTC models face growing challenges from supply chain disruptions and shifting consumer preferences, brands are rapidly expanding their presence across multiple retail channels. This expansion includes leveraging retail media networks, exploring social commerce, maintaining brick-and-mortar locations, and creating seamless experiences between digital and physical touchpoints.
Workshop Question - How can your brand create more seamless connections between its various retail channels?
6.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Service Automation
Service as a software AI solutions transform back-office operations
Trend - While consumer-facing AI applications continue to capture public attention, innovative companies are developing AI-powered solutions that transform traditionally human-intensive back-office operations. These solutions are creating new efficiencies in areas like accounting, compliance, customer service, and operational management by augmenting or automating routine tasks while maintaining service quality.
Workshop Question - How could your organization leverage AI to scale its service operations more efficiently?
5.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Product Analytics
AI tools are being used to assist managers with analyzing product insights
Trend - SaaS companies are launching Artficial Intelligence (AI)-based tools that gather and analyze both customer feedback and product information to provide recommendations for product managers. These tools are designed to automate monotonous tasks and free up time for managerial action.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage AI tools to streamline data analysis and provide actionable insights for our managers?
7.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Wallet Loyalty
Brands are launching loyalty programs available on Apple and Google Wallet
Trend - Wallet loyalty programs are gaining prominence as consumers show increasing reluctance to download multiple apps for brand engagements. Brands are offering loyalty cards through Apple Wallet and Google Wallet as a seamless way to integrate loyalty cards directly into consumer smartphones.
Workshop Question - How can your brand provide a seamless and convenient experience for your customers?
5.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Finance Bot
Generative AI is being used to simplify financial planning and literacy
Trend - Artificial intelligence is being used improve financial literacy and planning tools--compiling relevant information communicated in a way that's accessible to users. These AI assistants create a more customized and accessible experience than automated customer service tech allows.
Workshop Question - How could AI help your brand better communicate with its customers or users?
4.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
P2P Return
E-commerce marketplaces are facilitating direct peer-to-peer returns for efficiency
Trend - E-commerce networks are implementing peer-to-peer (P2P) returns networks that directly connect returned products to consumers purchasing used or previously-owned products. These systems save on items being shipped twice, saving both money and environmental impact for the parties involved.
Workshop Question - How could your brand leverage peer-to-peer systems to improve aspects of its business?
4.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Touchpoint
Foodservice brands use assistive AI tech to improve customer touchpoints
Trend - Balancing the benefits of both AI assistance and face-to-face customer service interactions, F&B brands are improving efficiency with AI chatbots and assistants across smaller touchpoints in the customer journey--including virtual and phoned delivery inquiries and drive-thru ordering.
Workshop Question - In what area/s could your brand's customer journey be improved by AI assistants?
6.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Driven Loyalty
Brands are using social activism to drive consumer loyalty programs
Trend - Brands are integrating activism and charitable actions directly into business models and consumer loyalty programs. This helps consumers directly influence the amount of charitability from a business, making activist consumers more likely to frequently engage in these brands over others.
Workshop Question - How can your brand integrate activism and charitable actions into your consumer loyalty program to drive customer loyalty and differentiate from competitors?
4.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Automated Reachout
AI-powered companies offer tools that automate email and mobile outreach
Trend - Brands are launching platforms that automate media and customer outreach campaigns with AI. These platforms streamline lead detection, determine the optimal method to reach out, and send the message at an effective time. These enable AI marketing for brands without technical backgrounds.
Workshop Question - How could your brand leverage AI-powered marketing to free workers' time for more complex tasks?
5.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Support
Businesses are incorporating AI chatbots for instant customer service at scale
Trend - Businesses are moving customer service units toward artificial intelligence. AI chatbots for customer service have complete knowledge of any trained dataset, and can deliver instant answers to any related question to any number of customers at a time. This scalability saves money for the business and time for the consumer.
Workshop Question - How can your brand utilize trained AI chatbots to improve the online shopping experience, or post-sale support experience, for customers?
5.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends