Customer experience has undergone a radical transformation in the last decade, and with the advancement of digital transformation, companies have been forced to rethink how they relate to and personalize interactions with their audience. Today, the modern consumer expects quick and personalized responses, specifically tailored to their desires or consumption needs. However, despite significant investment in the area, the results often fall short of expectations, with increasingly demanding and even dissatisfied customers regarding the experience offered, given the enormous fragmentation of contact channels and communication formats, which are still largely unintegrated from the user’s perspective.
In a scenario where we are constantly bombarded by messages on WhatsApp, interactions on social networks like Instagram and TikTok, as well as emails, websites, and in-store service, customer experience has become a complex and multifaceted challenge. According to a Statista report (2025), the global social commerce market value in 2024 is estimated to have been $700 million, about 17% of the total global e-commerce, driven mainly by the adoption of social networks like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest. In Brazil specifically, the scenario is equally stimulating: a PwC survey indicates that about 78% of Brazilian consumers have purchased a product or service after seeing it on social networks.
The hybrid and accelerated environment demands that companies be present and active across various channels (including social platforms), offering a seamless and continuous experience. Omnichannel—the ability to provide an integrated experience across multiple touchpoints—has become a minimum requirement to meet the demands of today’s consumer. However, it has only become feasible thanks to digital transformation and the integration of customer data usage. In the past, interactions were limited to physical stores and phone service; today, apps, chats, and social networks are essential in the journey of a consumer with increasingly less time (and patience).
The exponential increase in contact channels brings a challenge: how to integrate these points so that the customer feels recognized and valued, regardless of the medium through which they contact the brand? Companies need to invest in systems and platforms that promote a unified and cohesive experience, reducing the risk of the customer having to repeat information or feeling like ‘just another one’ in the digital crowd.
For example: we are on the brink of the arrival of TikTok Shop in Brazil, a new social commerce format that promises to revolutionize online shopping for users in segments like fashion, lifestyle, health, and personal care. Recently, Temu arrived in Brazil, significantly transforming the e-commerce landscape in general. How can you integrate your brand, at the frenetic pace of daily technological innovations, with the mentioned consumer needs, in favor of a frictionless experience?
Personalization through data usage
In this journey, personalization is an essential pillar for the evolution of customer experience. With the massive volume of data generated in every digital interaction, companies can better understand their customers’ behavior, preferences, and needs. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms and big data analytics technologies, supported by increasingly powerful and assertive AI, allow companies to build a 360º view of the consumer, anticipating their needs and personalizing offers more accurately.
However, data collection and usage raise ethical and privacy concerns. It is crucial for companies to respect data privacy and be transparent about how this data is used. Customer trust can easily be broken if they perceive their information is being used invasively or without clear consent.
Additionally, personalization must be balanced so that the customer feels valued but not ‘watched.’ For example, using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to suggest products can be helpful, but it needs to be subtle so the customer doesn’t feel invaded. Moreover, the use of bots and automation in customer service has been a major ally in digital transformation, allowing companies to handle large volumes of interactions quickly and efficiently. However, automation brings a paradox: while it makes service more accessible, it can dehumanize the experience. And here too, AI can be a potentiator of incredible experiences or a destroyer of reputations and value.
While bots can solve simple problems, they often fail in more complex cases, generating customer frustration. The ideal is for companies to use automation to resolve routine issues, freeing human service for cases that require more attention and empathy. This not only increases efficiency but also improves customer satisfaction, making them feel heard and valued.
NPS and the challenges of measuring customer satisfaction
To assess customer satisfaction, many companies use NPS (Net Promoter Score), a metric indicating the likelihood of a customer recommending the brand. Although it is a valuable indicator, NPS should not be used in isolation from other factors. However, it can provide valuable insights to reveal opportunities for improving customer experience. Studies show that, despite investments, many customers still feel dissatisfied with the relationship experiences provided by companies, highlighting the growing demand for more personalized experiences and attentive service. In this context, NPS, besides being a quantitative tool, also provides qualitative data indicating the need for adjustments. It not only measures satisfaction but reveals critical points where service fails to meet modern consumers’ expectations.
Therefore, digital transformation should not only automate and personalize customer experience but also humanize it, with the support of management tools and indicators. In a world where automation is predominant, human service becomes even more valuable, as the customer seeks empathy and efficiency, especially in more complex issues and problems.
Thus, companies that manage to unite data, automation, and human service in a cohesive ecosystem, providing a more human and personalized experience, will stand out. The key to success is balancing technology and humanization, showing the customer that they are more than a sequence of data—they are an individual with unique needs and desires. The future of customer experience will depend on how companies can humanize their digital interactions, turning every contact into an opportunity to strengthen the relationship and create value for the customer. True innovation will lie in the ability to make the customer feel unique and valued in every interaction.
And this, unsurprisingly, is one of the ‘hottest’ topics under discussion at SxSW 2025. Because therein lies the next frontier of business differentiation.
