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How did you start your day? My morning ritual includes a cup of tea, a look through my BBC News app, a podcast download for my subway ride, a peek at my Instagram feed and then an occasional Amazon Prime purchase – whether it’s restocking the apartment with necessities or a new book. That last item is not instant like the rest, but I know it’ll arrive within the next business day. All this and for those who know me, I’m NOT a morning person.
Our culture has evolved into one that seeks instant gratification in this digital age. Consumers expect fulfillment on demand and across the consumer journey, each touch is a brand experience. They want to interact at any time and any place. Let’s look at some companies who have evolved and then a few who were born out of this trend:
Amazon Prime – Everything on Demand
How do they deliver so quickly? In many cases, it’s robots shuffling your packages around to work faster and more efficiently than any human. Watch the video below to check it out, plus find out about their newest Dash product.
Netflix – Movies & TV on Demand
By observing their consumers binge-watching habits, Netflix releases full seasons at once. Who else is excited for Season 3 of Orange is the New Black?!
Tinder – “Romance” on Demand
Let’s call it romance, but we all know what is really on demand with this dating app. Needless to say, who’s still meeting people at a bar when you can choose to swipe left or right for your next date?
Warby Parker – Glasses on Demand
Though this brand’s virtual try-on was a flop, they have optimized to an easy home try-on process. Warby Parker, I love you!
Open Table – Dining on Demand
When was the last time you called to make a reservation? You don’t need to and you get points.
So what can a company do to keep up with this on-demand pace?
- Understand your target’s behaviors and expectations
- Optimize and design experiences that will meet consumer demands
- Build a nimble digital and CRM team to not only engage with your consumer, but collect valuable data to inform your process
- Constantly challenge every touch point to ensure you’re making the best use of your data and interaction opportunities at the required speed for your brand
This on-demand phenomenon is much more than a marketing issue. It has become integral to any company who is trying to keep a competitive advantage today.
Photo cred: LinkedIn, Netflix, Tech Crunch, Warby Parker and Open Table