What Is A Customer Experience Platform? 10 Types To Use In Your Business

Companies are realizing that happy and satisfied customers mean better business. They drive revenue, enhance loyalty, and strengthen your brand.

It’s no wonder that customer experience (CX) has become a strategic priority for many businesses. In fact, 80% of organizations expect to compete primarily by focusing on their customer experience!

But here's the catch: improving CX is not a one-size-fits-all approach. You'll need to understand your company's unique challenges, goals, and, most importantly, the right tools to make it happen.

This guide will explore 10 CX platforms and their role in delivering exceptional customer experiences. 

What Is A CX Platform?

Customer experience (CX) platforms are software solutions for managing and optimizing customer interactions.

CX platforms help businesses create positive customer experiences through every step of their journey. The platforms combine different data sources and tools to create a comprehensive system for improving interactions.

Before we move forward, let's revisit what customer experience is.

Customer experience (CX) refers to every interaction a customer has with your brand. From their first visit to your website to post-purchase interactions. Creating positive customer experiences along their journey encourages greater customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.

CX platforms help create positive customer experiences by facilitating:

• Prompt responses
• Personalization
• Effective communication
• Consistency
• Accessibility
• Quick problem resolution
• Convenience
• Transparency
• Ease of use 

Top 10 Customer Experience (CX) Platforms

In today’s digital age, businesses have a wide range of CX platforms and tools available to them. These software solutions allow businesses to better understand customer preferences and optimize their overall CX strategy.

Your business can benefit from the following customer experience platforms.

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Think of customer relationship management (CRM) systems like a customer encyclopedia, providing a comprehensive picture of each customer.

CRM systems are foundational for CX.

The systems store everything from customer interactions, preferences, and previous purchase information. Having this data is essential to understand and enhance customer experiences.

Here’s how CRM software contributes to better CX:

• Comprehensive data allows personalization: By centralizing customer data from various sources, you get a complete picture of your customers. This data and visibility will enable you to personalize support, offers, and interactions.

• Consistency through integrations: You can integrate CRM systems with email, social media, phone systems, and other tools. This ensures that all customer data is centralized and accessible for seamless service.

• Quick responses with workflow automation: Activities like data entry, lead nurturing, and follow-up communications can be automated with CRMs. Automation frees up time and ensures prompt customer service.

• Better data: CRM systems enable cross-functional teams to access customer data and add to it. This collaborative approach improves data quality and, in turn, improves communication with customers.

Popular CRM platforms:

Here are some widely used CRM platforms that contribute to elevating CX:

• Salesforce
• HubSpot CRM
• Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Zoho CRM

2. Contact Center Solutions

A contact center platform is a must for businesses with high-volume sales or support teams. Unlike call centers, which focus on telephone interactions only, contact centers let you communicate across multiple channels using a single streamlined platform. Communication channels include telephone, email, video conferencing, chat, social media and more. 

Here's how Contact Center solutions contribute to better CX

• Communicate on customers' preferred channels: Beyond phone calls, contact centers allow you to interact via emails, live chat, video, and social media. Customers are able to connect with your brand through channels of their choice, making it more convenient.

• Quickly route callers to the right agent: Contact center solutions intelligently route calls to the right agent based on the customer's needs. Skills-based routing increases the chances of resolving customer issues on the first touchpoint.

• Offer self-service options using automation: Contact center solutions often include features for self-service. Customers can find answers to common questions on their own. For example, uContact, net2phone’s contact center solution, includes chatbots that can be automated across digital channels. You can program them to handle routine tasks like answering frequently asked questions or performing transactions. You can even program them to link to your knowledge base providing an easier self service option. Self-service options promote quick resolutions, reduce wait times, and improve customer experience.

• Identify areas for improvement with analytics: Look for contact center solutions equipped with robust analytics tools that monitor and analyze customer interactions. For instance, uContact’s reporting and analytics tools have 300+ preset reports, including omnichannel reporting, historical reporting, survey reports, and more. Using a data-driven approach helps identify trends, bottlenecks, and areas for CX improvement.

• Provide omnichannel consistency: Customers expect consistent experiences across all communication channels. In contact center solutions, agents can view customer interactions across different touchpoints from one place. uContact, for instance, has a unified inbox that lets you manage all interactions, regardless of the channel, from a single tab. Customers receive the same level of service no matter where they are - on your website, on the phone, or through social media.

• Quick Issue resolutions and streamlining via integrations: Contact center solutions integrate with other business systems and tools. For example, you could link your contact center platform with your CRM. It enables the exchange of customer information between the two platforms. The result is streamlined workflows, faster issue resolution, and a more cohesive customer experience. 

Popular Contact Center solutions

Here are some popular contact center solutions:

• net2phone uContact
• Genesys Cloud CX
• Talkdesk
• NiceCX one
• Five9

Learn More: What Is An Omnichannel Contact Center And Why It Matters

3. Social Media Management Tools

Nowadays, customers actively engage, seek information, and express their opinions on social media. In fact, a significant portion of customer interactions now take place on social media.

As you can imagine, this can become difficult to keep up with.

Social media management tools streamline and simplify managing a brand’s presence on social media. 

Here's how Social Media Management tools contribute to better CX

• Maintain consistent branding: A centralized platform for managing all your social media accounts facilitates consistent branding. Consistency is a cornerstone of customer experience.

• Respond quickly: Streamlining tasks like scheduling posts and responding to comments and mentions ensures timely customer interactions.

• Create more targeted content: Performance data provides insight into what resonates with your audience. This knowledge can help you develop a content strategy that aligns with your audience’s interests and needs.

• Tailor content to audience segments: Audience segmentation allows you to group your customers based on demographics, age, location, and more. Understanding your audience helps you deliver messages that resonate with them.

  
  

Popular Social Media Management tools

• Hootsuite
• Buffer
• Sprout Social
  

4. Customer Feedback Management Tools

Customer feedback management tools allow businesses to collect, analyze, and act on customer feedback effectively.

These tools play a crucial role in:

• Understanding customer preferences.
• Identifying pain points.
• Driving improvements in CX. 

   

Here’s how Customer Feedback Management tools contribute to better CX

• Gather valuable customer feedback: Using these tools, you can gather feedback via phone, online, mobile, or in-person surveys. Data collection from diverse touchpoints ensures a comprehensive understanding of customer sentiment.

• Discover areas of improvement with robust analytics: Tools like sentiment analysis, keyword tracking, and trend identification can offer CX insights that might otherwise remain hidden.

• Personalize Responses: Businesses can tailor their responses and solutions by understanding individual customer feedback. 

Popular Customer Feedback Management platforms

Here are some widely used Customer Feedback Management Tools that contribute to elevating CX

• SurveyMonkey
• Qualtrics
• Medallia

Learn More: How To Collect Customer Feedback And Put It To Good Use 

5. Voice of the Customer (VoC) Platforms

VoC platforms are used to collect and analyze customer feedback to optimize customer experience(CX). Unlike customer feedback management platforms, VoC platforms go beyond surveys to collect feedback. 

These platforms also bring together a range of technologies like data visualization, predictive analytics, text mining, and more under one platform. 

According to Gartner, to qualify as a VoC application, the software must meet these criteria:

• Feedback must be collected from various sources, including direct, indirect, and inferred.
• The platform must give you the ability to analyze structured and unstructured feedback using a range of tools.
• The platform should enable you to implement insights by using alerts, workflows, case assignments, and recommendations. 

Here's how VoC platforms contribute to better CX

• Comprehensive feedback collection: Collect feedback through various channels such as surveys, reviews, social media, and customer support interactions help better understand your customers and make changes.

• Trend identification for proactive improvements: VoC platforms help identify emerging trends and recurring issues. Businesses can address CX challenges proactively this way.

• Feedback segmentation for personalization: VOC platforms can segment feedback by customer demographics, behaviors, and preferences. This segmented feedback can help you target your offers more effectively.

• Performance benchmarking against competitors: Some VOC platforms offer competitive benchmarking, allowing businesses to compare their CX performance against industry peers and competitors.

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: VOC platforms provide data-driven insights that inform strategic decision-making. It helps ensure that CX initiatives are aligned with customer expectations and preferences.

Popular VoC platforms

Here are some widely used VoC Platforms that contribute to elevating CX:

• Clarabridge
• InMoment
• Forsta (formerly Confirmit)

6. Customer Support and Helpdesk Software

Customer support and helpdesk software streamline and enhance customer service operations. 

They offer a range of features such as ticket management, automated response, knowledge base creation, and more to resolve customer inquiries promptly. 

Here's how Customer Support and Helpdesk software contribute to better CX

• Centralized data for efficient issue resolution: By centralizing all customer inquiries, your agents can access relevant information quickly, minimizing the time it takes to resolve issues.

• Personalized interactions: You can provide customized support by creating customer profiles and tracking interactions.

• Multiple channels for support: Customers expect support through various methods, including email, chat, social media, and phone. Helpdesk platforms make it easy to provide consistent and efficient support across channels.

• Knowledge base integration: Many helpdesk software include knowledge bases or self-service portals, allowing customers to find answers quickly and independently.

• Analytics and insights: These platforms provide analytics tools that track support ticket metrics, customer feedback, and agent performance. These insights help businesses improve customer experience and optimize support processes.

Popular Customer Support and Helpdesk software

Here are some widely used Customer Support and Helpdesk Software solutions that contribute to elevating CX:

• Zendesk
• Freshdesk
• Intercom

Learn More: Customer Lifetime Value: Why it Matters & How to Measure it

7. Email Marketing Automation Software

Email marketing automation software is designed to automate various aspects of email marketing campaigns. Email marketing contributes greatly to customer experience strategies due to its direct and personalized nature. Automated email campaigns can nurture leads, drive conversions, and build customer loyalty when executed effectively. 

Here’s how Email Marketing Automation Software contributes to better CX

• Personalize your emails: These tools allow you to segment your email lists based on demographics, behavior, and preferences. Creating a tailored message is easier with segmentation.

• Recommendations based on behavior: The software can trigger emails based on actions or inaction. For instance, when a new product related to a past purchase becomes available, the software can send a personalized email recommending it.

• Provide value with automated drip campaigns: Drip campaigns deliver a series of targeted emails over time. You can use the campaigns to educate, provide value, and guide customers through their journey.

• Relevant communication with customer journey mapping: Email automation allows businesses to send emails at specific touchpoints for timely and relevant communication.

• Optimize strategy with analytics and testing: By tracking open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, businesses can refine their CX efforts.

Popular Email Marketing Automation Software

Here are some widely used Email Marketing Automation Software solutions that contribute to elevating CX:

• Mailchimp
• Constant Contact
• Brevo (formerly SendinBlue)

8. Customer Journey Mapping Tools

Customer journey mapping tools allow you to create, visualize, and analyze each step of your customer’s journey. 

Your customers go through a series of interactions and touchpoints with your brand, from visiting your website and social media to post-purchase interactions. With mapping tools, you can visualize and optimize the customer experience at these touchpoints.

How Customer Journey Mapping platforms contribute to better CX

• Better understand customer experiences with visuals: Visualizing the customer journey helps you understand the customer's perspective and pain points for improvement.

• Streamline Process: By mapping your customer journey, you can simplify processes and remove friction points. Customers will experience a smoother journey and be less frustrated.

• Customer Feedback Integration: Integrating customer feedback into the mapping process is possible. You can then align CX improvements with customer needs.

Popular Customer Journey Mapping tools

Here are some commonly used Customer Journey Mapping Tools that contribute to elevating CX:

• Smaply
• UXPressia

9. Analytics and Business Intelligence (BI) Tools

Analytics and BI tools are software applications that turn raw data into meaningful insights, visualization, and reports. Data-driven insights enable informed decision-making and improve customer experience (CX).

How Analytics and BI tools contribute to better CX

• Data centralization for better customer insights: BI Tools consolidate data from various sources. This holistic view allows businesses to understand customers better and improve total customer experience.

• Performance tracking for actionable insights: Companies can monitor CX initiatives with these tools. Measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) helps assess the impact of CX efforts and make necessary adjustments for improvement.

• Proactive measures with predictive analysis: BI tools incorporate predictive analytics to forecast trends, identify churn risks, and proactively enhance CX strategies.

• Demand forecasting for inventory optimization: BI tools predict demand trends and optimize inventory, ensuring products are available when customers want them.

Here are some widely used Business Intelligence Tools that contribute to elevating CX

• Microsoft Power BI
• Looker Studio
• Tableau

Learn More: How To Measure Customer Experience: Tracking Key Metrics

10. Knowledge Management Systems

Knowledge management systems provide a structured approach to storing, organizing, and delivering resources to customers and support teams. 

CX is heavily reliant on delivering accurate and timely information to customers, and these platforms make this possible.

Here's how Knowledge Management Systems contribute to better CX

• Centralized knowledge repository: Knowledge management systems serve as centralized places for storing and organizing information. Support teams have easy access to the most current and accurate information this way

• Self-Service capabilities: Self-service portals or knowledge bases empower customers to find answers to common queries independently. This reduces the load on support teams and enhances CX.

• Consistency: Knowledge management systems help businesses maintain consistency in the information they provide. Consistency fosters smooth and positive CX across all touchpoints.

• Real-time Updates: Knowledge management systems allow for real-time updates. Timely updates ensure that support teams and customers always have access to the most current information.

Popular Knowledge Management systems

Here are some widely used Knowledge Management Systems that contribute to elevating CX:

• Confluence
• Document360
• Helpjuice

Final Thoughts - Choosing The Right Platform(s) For Your Business 

In our exploration of CX platforms, one thing is clear: there is no shortage of options. 

You must select the right platforms for your company to excel in customer experience (CX).

Here are some key considerations:

• Define CX Goals: Identify your objectives and areas for improvement.
• Consider Scalability: Choose platforms that grow with your business.
• Integration Matters: Ensure seamless integration with existing systems.
• User-Friendly: Opt for intuitive tools for quick adoption.
• Budget Wisely: Match your budget to your needs.
• Prioritize Support: Choose platforms with reliable customer support and training.

The journey to CX success is not about finding one platform to rule them all; instead, it is about adopting multiple platforms and technologies that work together to deliver memorable experiences. 

Choose wisely, and your customers will thank you with their loyalty and advocacy.

Want to dive deeper into the world of customer experience management? Learn valuable insights and strategies to drive business growth with Customer Experience Management: The Complete Guide.