The script is flipping. Up until now, it’s always been a matter of people teaching themselves to use technology so they can operate more efficiently and provide better experiences to their customers. Gartner, however, has identified a new trend, multiexperience, which replaces “technology-literate people with people-literate technology.” Through multiexperience, which Gartner lists as the second of its Top 10 Strategic Technologies Trends for 2020, the concept of a “computer” evolves into a point of interaction that includes multisensory capabilities facilitated by interfaces such as wearables and sensors.
When you think of multiexperience, you may immediately picture a gamer with a headset and gloves diving into virtual reality. Your B2B clients, however, are exploring the potential of multiexperience to give their businesses a competitive edge.
Verticals Leaning Toward Multiexperience
Multiexperience is the next evolution for omnichannel businesses that want to go beyond enabling consumers to engage anytime and anywhere to allow them to interact in any way.
The Samsung Gulf multiexperience store in Dubai that opened in 2019 is an impressive example. In the 853-square-meter “experience store,” Samsung’s connected devices and new technologies are on display. Shoppers can browse items such as Samsung’s 8K TV and connected appliances — but they can do more than browse. Product displays are interactive and customer-centric. The in-store customer service department is also enhanced with digital technology. Additionally, the store hosts the educational Galaxy Workshop each evening and has amplified promotions with augmented reality.
Restaurants are also entering the multiexperience space. Domino’s is leading the way with its AnyWare initiative that gives customers the ability to order pizzas and other menu items however they choose, such as through Google Home, Alexa, Slack, Messenger, and Twitter, as well as using a smartwatch, smart TV, or mobile phone.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia has also put a multiexperience strategy in place, giving customers options to connect on 18 channels and offering real-time decisions. In addition, the bank uses a customer engagement engine that “intelligently suggests and personalizes the next best conversation to have with each customer.”
Survey Shows Multiexperience is the Future of App Development
As mobility continues to advance, Gartner has recognized that businesses and organizations now want to provide their customers with more than the experiences that mobile or web applications can deliver. Jason Wong, Gartner VP, Research & Advisory, wrote in his blog, “At the same time, we are observing technology changes in mobile app development platforms (MADPs) and in adjacent technology markets where development platform vendors are expanding their value proposition beyond mobile app and web development.”
The result? Multiexperience development platforms (MXDPs) that enable developing mobile and web apps as well as voice, AR, and wearable functionality. Gartner’s research found that cloud-hosted AI services are the most used technologies to support multiexperience development, followed by native iOS and Android development, and mobile back-end services.
Depending on the verticals you serve, revising your business strategy to support multiexperience development may be the key to future-proofing your business and maintaining your clients’ loyalty.
How Do Your Apps Measure Up?
Consumers continue to search for the easiest and most convenient way to engage with businesses — and gravitate toward using new technologies that allow them to do it. They’ll be drawn to businesses that are capable of accepting orders through social media, provide product information through Alexa or enable people to shop on a smartwatch or a smart TV.
The challenge for ISVs is to make it happen in a way that provides consistent user experiences, that’s true to your clients’ brands, and results in the experiences consumers are looking for.
