2020 Trends: The Connected Lifestyle is Here, Are You Ready?

We’ve compiled our top 10 suggestions from Bottle Rocket’s team of experts to keep your company competitive in 2020 and beyond.

In the past, it was sufficient to have a website for your business, or even better a mobile app. This alone was enough to differentiate you from others less digitally savvy. But in today’s fast-moving, always-on business environment, it takes more than just a mere digital presence to earn the loyalty and trust necessary to survive well into the future. We refer to this new reality as The Connected Lifestyle, and businesses that are embracing it are succeeding, while others are left behind. Case in point, an HBR report cites the number one reason more than half (52 percent) of the Fortune 500 have disappeared since the year 2000 is their failure to achieve digital change.

This new reality has spawned a new type of customer for your business as well. We call them Connected Customers. This term refers to those customers that interact with brands through digital means such as web sites, apps or Alexa skills. An overwhelmingly large percentage of the population falls into this category. And mobile devices are leading the charge as the most preferred channel of engagement. Connected Customers are everywhere and span every generation.

And what do these Connected Customers want? They want simple and convenient experiences that are both efficient and fun. They want brands to anticipate their wants and desires (without being creepy). They want to be surprised and delighted, and they expect brands to keep up. They want to do business with you when they want and on their terms. They want a personalized experience that feels like it was designed just for them.

This new type of customer isn’t just young people newly entering the marketplace. Forty percent of baby boomers, 57 percent of Gen Xers and 78 percent of Millennials say that a company must have a great digital experience to keep their business. And these numbers are growing every year. That’s essentially most of the people your business serves.

The bad news is that it’s hard. Especially for established businesses that don’t favor change. But the good news is there is a significant return on investment for businesses that deliver a tech-enabled experience that surprises and delights. In fact, 67 percent of consumers say they’ll pay more for a better experience. So, if you are interested in leveraging the power of The Connected Lifestyle to grow your business by better serving the Connected Customer, here are some suggestions to consider.

WISHING YOU A SUCCESSFUL AND INNOVATIVE 2020.

Calvin Carter
Founder & CEO, Bottle Rocket

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