Digital customer experience as a driver of competitive advantage and growth

Do you want to ensure that your digital service truly serves its purpose and delivers measurable results? Then it's worth investing in the development of the digital customer experience

Digital customer experience is a broad concept that covers the customer’s entire journey in digital services. It’s not limited to websites or applications, but includes all the touchpoints a customer has with a company in the digital environment.

Marketing and digital service development must work seamlessly together for the digital customer experience to thrive and be consistent across all channels. For example, the impact of marketing campaigns on digital services must be considered, and it must be ensured that resources are sufficient to serve the growing traffic.

In recent years, the quality of customer experience has unfortunately declined (Kestävän kasvun nykytila 2025, Aava&Bang). In a tight market situation, organizations have had to cut back on aspects that are not considered critical to their business or operations. Often, the value of customer experience goes unrecognized, even though it is a strategic competitive advantage. 32% of customers stop doing business with their preferred brand after just one bad experience, making it essential to invest in customer satisfaction and loyalty (Experience is Everything: Here’s How to Get It Right, PwC).

Now is the time to take action and invest in developing the digital customer experience. A great digital customer experience brings value to the business, enhances brand perception, increases recommendations, and improves customer retention. Digital customer experience is an ongoing process that must be regularly reviewed and improved.

Clarify the purpose of your digital service

Can you answer the question: Why does your website or application exist? Before we start developing or renewing a digital service, it is essential to take a moment to reflect on its core purpose. What value does it bring to the business and the customer?

Even though the question might seem obvious, experience shows that the focus easily becomes blurred over time.  The original goals may be forgotten or overshadowed by other needs. herefore, it is important to regularly return to these fundamental questions and critically evaluate the service’s significance and impact.

Is the purpose of the service to increase sales, generate more leads, enhance brand image, provide customer support, or all of the above? When the purpose of the service is clear, it is easier to plan its content and functionalities and define the metrics that indicate success.

Consider, for example, how the service supports business objectives and marketing. How does it help to reach new customers and strengthen the brand image? And how does the service serve customers and create value for them? How do you collect and utilize data to develop the service?

The customer’s, or rather, the human experience is key. When you focus on providing value to people, it reflects positively on your business as well.

Know your target audience

A digital service must serve its target audience. Is your service for everyone, or specific user groups? Even if for everyone, it must be able to serve different target groups. The better you know your users’ needs, motivations, and pain points, the better you can design a service that meets those needs and creates real value. User understanding helps to develop better features, improve usability, target marketing and communications, and create a positive user experience that leads to engagement and loyalty.

Measure and Analyze

Developing a digital service is an ongoing process where measurement and analysis play a key role. By tracking both quantitative and qualitative metrics, you gain valuable insights into the performance of your service and areas for improvement.

Quantitative metrics, such as conversion rates and the volume of customer feedback, reveal what is happening in the service. Qualitative metrics, such as user interviews and usability testing, help understand why something is happening.

Usability testing and interviews are especially important, as they provide direct feedback from real users, enabling more informed decisions for improving the service.

Designing the digital customer experience is an investment that pays off

Investing in digital customer experience and design is an investment that pays off. Research shows that conversion rates can improve by up to 20%. On the other hand, if a customer is dissatisfied with a digital service, they are four times more likely to switch to a competitor (McKinsey, 2020).  A good customer experience creates a positive brand image, increases recommendations, and improves customer retention, which is also reflected in the bottom line.

What to do this year?

If the foundation of your digital service isn’t solid, start by defining the service’s objectives, metrics, and target audiences. If the foundation is already in place, focus on environmental responsibility, hyper-personalization, and multichannel strategies. Think about how you can use artificial intelligence in a purposeful and responsible way. This year, it is essential to evaluate the environmental impact of your service and ensure that your digital service operates sustainably.

Towards a better digital customer experience

We help businesses succeed in developing digital customer experiences. We approach this in a human-centered and sustainable way. We assist in defining the service’s purpose, target audience, and objectives. We design and implement digital services that align with business goals while delivering an excellent customer experience. Together, we can explore open questions and even vague ideas. We help you find the right direction and solutions for developing your digital customer experience.

Sources:

McKinsey, 2020: Service industries can fuel growth by making digital customer experiences a priority
Aava&Bang, 2025: Kestävän kasvun nykytilatutkimus 2025
PwC, 2018: Experience is everything: Here’s how to get it right