Apple has been developing something called Product Experience (PX) for years, which has made it a sales leader and its buyers true believers. As if they were teenage groupies of a K-pop group, Apple users would follow the brand wherever it goes.
This PX concept is, within marketing, a powerful tool to build customer loyalty, increase your brand reputation and attract new buyers , as well as being an opportunity to position ourselves above our competitors.
What is Product Experience?
When we talk about Product Experience, we are referring to a set of factors that create the perception that a user has of a brand and its products based on any type of contact and interaction that the buyer has with the brand.
It is positioned as an essential part of the user experience and focuses on the journey that the user takes not only during the purchase of the product, but also when they are using our product and even when they have an incident with it. That is why it is a concept especially used when talking about software as a service (SaaS), or mobile applications, but it is not exclusive to this business sector.
As you can see from the first example of Apple, it is applicable to other companies, regardless of how big or small they are . Whenever you have something to sell, you can work with PX, from a modern bakery in Malasaña to a beauty clinic in Raval. PX can be applied and worked with in any sales environment.
According to experts in the field Hendrik NJ Schifferstein and Paul Hekkert, PX would be defined as “the perception of the psychological effects caused by the interaction with overseas chinese phone number data a product , including the degree to which our senses are stimulated, the meanings and values we attribute to the product and the feelings and emotions that are provoked when using it.”
Since it is a concept that not only takes into account the product itself, but also all the sensations and emotions that it provokes in the user, by working on the PX we will achieve greater benefits in sales, as well as customer loyalty . And loyal customers are customers who attract other customers. Or have you never recommended a series because you liked it?
If the product focuses on the customer, on how they feel and on their entire experience, if it is satisfactory, it is easier for them to talk about it. By focusing the design on the PX, we can increase customer acquisition, retain our customers and increase sales.
It is clear that the product itself is the main driver for increasing the value of our brand and it influences the PX in a vital way. The product is the first reason for the customer to repeat or not with us.
An example: you buy a laptop. You have spent a month looking and checking on specialized websites to find out which is the best model to invest in and finally you decide. It is this one. You buy it and after a month, it starts to work slower than usual. It crashes, it gives you some execution errors and the battery starts to last less than a bad reggaeton song. The brand has not only computers but also smartphones and smart watches, do you think you would buy one of them? The answer is no. 52% of users do not interact with a company after a bad experience with the product.
As it is a concept that covers the entire process of purchasing and using the product, PX is something in which all the professionals of the company participate , from the creators and designers of the product to the community managers in charge of transmitting the entire experience to their followers or the customer service department that, with the feedback from buyers, can provide clues to improve the entire process.
How brands apply Product Experience
According to a study, experimenting with the product increases the buyer's confidence, and this is possible, for example, with a virtual tester like those offered by some makeup brands such as NYX Cosmetics, L'Oreal or Lancôme. Using just the camera on your phone or a photo, you can check how a lipstick looks on you, for example . These types of actions are a way to increase PX.
To implement a strategy to improve the PX of any brand, a prior analysis is essential, as with any other marketing strategy , in addition to having a platform that allows user interaction. In this way, feedback is encouraged that improves the entire process . For example, after calling Vodafone to resolve an incident with the home Wi-Fi, the company contacts the customer to evaluate its performance. With all this data and a good analysis of it, aspects of fault resolution and PX of such a daily service can be improved.
Another example of how brands apply PX is Coca-Cola. If there is a company that specializes in selling an experience beyond a product , it is this one. For years, its ads have been evocative and encourage living (with one of its soft drinks in hand, of course) like this recent one from Aquarius.
The same goes for Apple. Take for example the ad for one of its latest releases, the iPhone 13 Pro. An invitation to create stories with the help of your phone, but in which the product is a mere tool. The way to sell it is to sell you everything you could do with it in your hand, including a spectacular movie like the one they show you.
Another way of PX that Apple shows us is its technical service. You make an appointment so that they can offer you a personalized and exclusive service, focused absolutely on your satisfaction . So much so that when you get there, there is already a model identical to the one you asked for. This way, you will leave the appointment with a terminal in perfect condition and without the fault you went for.
How can we improve PX in our brand?
Now that we know what PX is and how some of the most well-known brands apply it, we're going to give you an idea of how you can apply it in your company, no matter how small it is. With these five tricks you can improve your brand's product experience and thus achieve better results.
Analyze your entire process. How do users get to your online store? Is the website user-friendly? Are you able to cross-sell? Even if you think you have everything ready, check how it works from the point of view of a typical user. You can ask an external team to analyze the UX of your website to tell you, for example, if it is intuitive and clear enough, or a creative team to make the message you want to convey more personal and dynamic.
Include questionnaires to listen to your audience and use that data to improve. While you can also hear from them through social media, installing a small questionnaire after a purchase (or after a customer service intervention) can be a great way to find out what happens in that process and how it could be improved. Listen to your customers – they will tell you what they need and how.
Improve your products by thinking about how functional and useful they will be for your customers. Focus on meeting their needs with a quality product that works for your users. For example, if you have a hair product brand that promises voluminous, silky, nourished, frizz-free hair, work on that. When the customer tries it and sees that it solves their problems, they will definitely come back.
Always offer interesting content to attract new customers. Although it seems obvious, it is something we can forget about on social media, for example. Posting a product photo on Instagram every day is a mistake. On the other hand, offering quality content related to your sector (for example, if you have a decoration store, you can offer decoration tips in a weekly reel) is a success. It adds value to your brand and offers something that may interest potential buyers.
Involve the entire company. If you want PX to improve your results, it is essential that your entire company works like a well-oiled machine. Think of ants: each one moves taking into account the work of its partner and they all work as a team to achieve the same goal. If your goal is to improve the PX of your brand and products, the entire team must be involved.
Since this is such a broad concept that covers so many people, you may now feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start. But you're in luck. Our team is more than prepared, you can write to us here and we will tell you how we can work together to make your PX reach the next level and become a hallmark of your company.
