Delivering an exceptional customer experience is a priority that unites global giants like Amazon and innovative companies like Gamma.
Both organisations understand that customer-centricity drives growth and loyalty, making it more than just a buzzword. Dennis Parker, Head of Customer Experience (CX) Partner Business, EMEA at Amazon Web Services (AWS), encapsulates this ethos, saying that “if you look at the Amazon business and Amazon Retail, we are a leader in customer experience.” Within AWS, Dennis presides over customer experience partnerships and services, such as Amazon Connect.
For Dennis, “it’s nice to watch the two worlds bleed together… for [him], it’s about giving customers the ability to differentiate their customer experiences while making it attainable and remembering that technology is only a part of this play.”
Composability: shaping the future of customer experience
A fundamental aspect of AWS’s approach to customer experience is the concept of composability, which allows businesses to tailor and adapt customer interactions based on unique needs and evolving expectations. Dennis delves into this idea, explaining that epic CX itself is composable. Epic CX is all about “the ability to take the use cases and create differentiated journeys for your customers based on the available technology, trends, and ever-changing customer expectations.”
Dennis explains how, especially with the pandemic, customer interactions have become fluid. With the emergence of generative AI and the focus on AI, “we’re seeing a complete change in how we interact with organisations and what we expect as consumers.”
Composability is crucial in a rapidly changing environment where customer interactions are becoming more dynamic. By leveraging the latest technologies and trends, AWS enables businesses to innovate and differentiate their customer experiences in ways that respond to this fluidity.
As Dennis highlights, “we’re on the other side, helping businesses support their customers in differentiating those journeys. We see our good work and sometimes not-so-great experiences.” For Dennis, “epic CX is the ability to differentiate a journey from anywhere, making someone feel like they’re getting everything they need, whether they’re at home, in the office, interacting over the app, calling the contact centre, or using webchat and conversational AI.”
The critical role of partnerships in enhancing customer experience
AWS’s ability to deliver top-tier customer experiences is significantly enhanced through its extensive network of partnerships. Dennis keenly emphasises the importance of these collaborations, stating how crucial partners are. AWS are a “very partner-first organisation, and you can see that from [their] entire ecosystem of partnerships—whether they be technology partners, implementation partners, or distribution partners.”
Dennis notes that the added incentive, and the “big thing” that comes from being involved in the customer experience and contact centre space for around 15 to 16 years, is that “you need partners to add that additional pace.”
Gamma, like AWS, places a strong emphasis on the value of partnerships in driving customer success. The synergy between AWS and Gamma has been instrumental in delivering innovative, customer-centric solutions. Dennis elaborates on this collaborative effort, as without the partner, “[AWS] would struggle with the adoption of these solutions and this technology into the ecosystem.”
For the last three and a half years, Gamma and AWS have been working together to build out that value proposition for our joint customers and core module customers. As Dennis says, “it is really important to us to have these partners support their customers in their transformation using a very strong technology portfolio that AWS brings to the table.”
This shared commitment to customer experience not only strengthens the relationship between AWS and partners like Gamma, but also ensures that their joint customers receive the best possible solutions tailored to their unique needs.
Curiosity and innovation: the cornerstones of AWS’s customer experience approach
Curiosity and a drive for innovation are at the core of AWS’s strategy, particularly in customer experience. Dennis discusses how this curiosity leads to meaningful advancements, as “being curious is crucial at AWS.” By being customer obsessed, they have a concept of working backwards, with “90% of our product innovations [coming] from customers and partners.”
Dennis goes on to say that “these aren’t things we think people want; these are things people tell us they want.” This gives AWS the unique ability to co-create solutions and offerings; “whether it’s technology, consultancy, or managed service offerings, [AWS can] give customers in the markets the solutions they need based on feedback we’ve had.”
This customer-driven approach to innovation ensures that AWS’s offerings are not only cutting-edge but also directly aligned with the needs of their customers. Dennis’ emphasis on co-creation highlights how AWS values feedback and collaboration, using it as a foundation for developing new solutions that resonate with customers.
Building trust through collaboration
Trust is a cornerstone of AWS’s approach to both customer experience and partnerships. Dennis stresses the significance of trust in these relationships, as “it boils down to collaboration.” One of the leadership principles at Amazon is earning trust, and “by working and collaborating together, we can earn trust.” Once that happens, Dennis feels confident that “partners are selling the AWS vision and leadership principles, maintaining our customer-obsessed approach.”
This commitment to trust is reflected not only in AWS’s interactions with its partners, but also in how these partnerships impact the customer. By fostering strong, trust-based relationships with partners like Gamma, AWS ensures that their shared customers receive the most reliable and effective solutions. This trust is what drives customer loyalty and ensures long-term success for all parties involved.
Leading the way in customer experience
AWS’s approach to customer experience is defined by its commitment to innovation, collaboration, and trust. Through the power of composability, the strength of its partnerships, and a culture of curiosity, AWS delivers customer experiences that are both personalised and impactful. Gamma, sharing these values, finds in AWS a partner equally dedicated to putting customers at the centre of everything they do.
As customer expectations continue to evolve, AWS and Gamma are well-positioned to lead the way, setting new standards for customer experience in the digital age.