When you walk into a restaurant you frequent, and the host and wait staff greet you by name – that’s It.
Checking into a hotel and being welcomed back and catered to with your favorite room and other amenities – that’s It too. What’s It? It is speaking directly to consumers as old friends – or at least as good acquaintances – through Personalized Service – or Personalization when accomplished online.
Digital technology and data tracking have enabled both B-to-B and B-to-C firms to establish and maintain more personalized relationships with their customers both online as well as in person. Take Amazon for example; as you browse the site, ‘You’re Recently Viewed Items’ and ‘Featured Recommendations’ are tracked for easy reference. Amazon also creates and displays links to other offerings called ‘Related to Items You’ve Viewed,’ and ‘Inspired by Your Shopping Trends.’ In fact, a recent Forbes article, ‘6 Things Online Retailers Can Learn From Amazon’ tells how the online retailer came to dominate the e-tail landscape through personalization and leveraging other online technologies.
When it comes to human resources, what comes to mind for many are the myriad forms to be completed, and the red tape associated with the HR process. But what if there was a better way – an online interface that speaks to people as individuals – displaying information relevant to each of us directly? Well, fortunately there is, through HR Shared Service solutions offering Enterprise Portal technology.
HR services provided via a Personalized Portal offer people targeted information uniquely relevant to both their role within the organization, as well as their personal profile data. The Portal may be accessed from anywhere at any time from virtually any Internet-enabled device. Data displayed may include HR-specific information such as payroll and benefits data, or more general company news and information such as upcoming events and outings. A Personalized Knowledge Base is the engine running behind the scenes providing the storage and delivery of the right content to the right individuals.
The power of personalization to make all of us feel ‘at home’ whether we’re at work, shopping or traveling is all about knowing us at least a bit. Responding to our unique tastes, preferences and mannerisms in a proactive and positive way helps ensure a good relationship is established and maintained. Putting us at ease and making us feel welcome through courtesy and effort – that’s the hallmark of personal service. And in this age of talented employees making career changes every two years on average – shouldn’t your firm consider every personal effort to engage with its valued professionals?