Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) on Wednesday launched its 2017 Trends Report - The Uncompromising Customer: Addressing the Paradoxes of the ‘Age of I' - at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland which highlights the uncompromising nature of today's customer who increasingly expect brands to deliver experiences that satisfy contradictory needs. IHG's research identifies four paradoxes that are driving the decisions customers make in a landscape constantly changing through advances in technology. In this environment, customers do not want either/or solutions: they want the best of both worlds where the best trade-off is no trade-off. The four paradoxes are: The Paradox of Separate but Connected: Seeking a constant belonging with people, brands and places, while also seeking individuality and the desire to communicate uniqueness of self The Paradox of Abundant Rarity: A desire for luxury to be both scarce and available The Paradox of Seeking a Better Me and a Better We: Seeking personal self-improvement, while seeking public, civic or global improvement Do It Myself and Do It for Me in My Way: A desire to be in control while not being the controller Global brands must address these paradoxes through being locally relevant and personally differentiating. IHG has identified six best practices through which brands can create experiences that strengthen customer relationships and grow brand loyalty. Richard Solomons, Chief Executive Officer, IHG, said: "Technology has changed the way we behave in our daily lives. This has had a direct, and fundamental, impact on business. Global brands need to address the complex, sometimes opposing needs of today's customers in order to fulfill their expectations. Delivering a superior guest experience is a key focus for IHG. Building on the theme of this year's IHG Trends Report, we have recently reached an important milestone for IHG Rewards Club, which now has 100 million members. The largest hotel loyalty program in the industry is truly global and offers the benefits of a powerful membership community, whilst also providing a personalized experience for members whenever they stay at an IHG hotel." The six best practices are: Aim for Integration Rather than Balance: Balancing conflicting customer needs is not enough; a better holistic experience needs to be created through the integration of these opposing needs Use Needs-driven Occasion-based Segmentation for Superior Business Management: Segmentation is not solely a marketing tool, but needs to be a core part of a company's thinking Communicate with Conversation: Brands must listen to customers to understand their needs and communicate with them in a way that makes the experience more meaningful to them as individuals Manage the brand's multi-dimensionality: A brand must include relevant and differentiating features as well as functional, emotional and social benefits. The combination of these builds a distinctive brand character Develop ambidextrous brand-business teams: A brand needs teams that include divergent thinkers, with individual strengths and passions, who can also work in an integrated manner to create the cohesive initiatives that drive brand success Address the Paradox of Brand Control: Businesses must not give up control of the brand to the external world, yet they must allow the consumers have their say and help influence the brand's reputation "In the Age of I, we live in the paradoxical world where we seek inclusion in a meaningful group and at the same time want to protect and express our individuality. It is a transformative time – short-term and long-term – where the strongest brands will promise and deliver the "best of both" when addressing conflicting customer needs. Addressing a trade-off by compromising important elements of a brand experience in return for gaining other equally important elements, is not the path to profitable growth. Brands that succeed do not concede. People desire the duality in a relevant, differentiated, integrated brand experience. In our new, fast-paced, 24/7 Age of I culture of individuality and inclusiveness, people want brands to optimize not compromise," the report concluded. The goal of business is to satisfy customer needs profitably. By creating solutions for contradictory desires – paradox promises define brand experiences leading to brand preference and loyalty, it noted.. The 2017 IHG Trends Report is the fifth in a series of reports that share insights into the changing world and provide best practices to help make brands fit for the future. The Report has been compiled in association with IHG's long-time partner, Arcature, and through using its own research and observations as well as a variety of external, third party sources. — SG
