A lot can happen in 50 years, especially when it comes to consumer trends and how society operates. For customer experience, a lot of things are sure to change in the next 50 years. When we consider how things were 50 years ago, we can see just how quickly trends and practices evolve, and then we can imagine just how fast they will move over the next few decades. We’ve already considered what customer experience will look like in five and 15 years, so now let’s take a look at life five decades from now. Here are three trends that will dominate customer experience:
1. Role of women. Women are taking charge in society and doing more than they have ever done before. Thanks to social media, people around the world can see the good that women are doing and what they are involved in. Successful women, such as the first major female presidential candidate and other female executives and athletes, inspire females of all generations and engrain in young girls that women can do anything. Over the next 50 years, we’ll see more women in senior roles across every industry, from politics to business and entertainment. The unique perspective of women and their ability to create new strategies will be felt and make a big impact on society.
2. Sustainability. It has become clear over recent years that the world is changing due to global warming and environmental concerns. That will only get worse in 50 years, and we won’t have a choice to ignore it any longer. Businesses will take a stand by lowering or eliminating their environmental footprint and building more sustainable practices that will leave the planet better for future generations. These practices will hopefully spread to individuals and create a more environmentally friendly world.
3. Public transportation. When we first built modern cities centuries ago, a lot of effort was put into building road systems. However, as populations boom and gridlock becomes unbearable in many urban areas around the world, we can realize that perhaps we should have put more effort into building public transportation systems from the start. With population growth set to skyrocket in the next 50 years, we will reach the breaking point in many cities where public transportation will be the only option to get people where they need to go. Strengthening public transportation will mean backtracking in many cases and building infrastructure for creative transportation solutions. The goal should be transportation that is functional and accessible for everyone, and it will change the way we work and get around.
In order to lead the pack in customer experience in fifty years, companies need to start now to be prepared. Focusing on these three key areas will help brands set the stage for the future and stay ahead of customer trends.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, author of More Is More, and keynote speaker. Sign up for her weekly newsletter here. Go farther and create knock your socks-off customer experiences in your organization by enrolling in her new Customer Experience School.