Today, the impression of a product largely depends on how convenient it is to interact with the company. Ease of purchase, clear terms, speed of issue resolution, and availability of support are becoming vital components of the consumer experience. In response, businesses are revising their customer service approaches.
In payment and financial services, the convenience of interaction is closely linked to the transparency of terms and the quality of support. “Today, consumers choose not only the product, but the entire experience: how easy it is to pay, whether the terms are clear, and whether they will get help if a question arises. Service standards are set by the customers themselves— through reviews and support requests. Companies that listen to feedback and adapt quickly gain the most important thing—the customer’s trust and peace of mind,” noted Pavel Belov, Development Director at Plati po vsemu miru.
About how selection criteria and customer expectations from brand interactions are changing, shared Natalia Eromchik, Marketing Director at Siberian Wellness: “Today, choices are made with the heart and through experience: people value care, transparency, and respect for their time. A business that listens to its audience and adjusts its course based on feedback is essentially co-creating new standards of quality and service alongside the consumer.”
Another aspect of the customer experience is the ability to receive a service at a convenient time. For example, Sergey Sokolan, Service Department Director at LG Electronics Russia, commented: “For customers, not only the quality of repair matters, but also the convenience of service. For instance, the ‘Evening Service’ project allows customers to schedule a technician visit between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM, when it is more convenient for many people to resolve household matters.”
In retail, customer feedback helps not only evaluate service quality, but also determine what changes shoppers truly need. “A brand’s commitments to its customers remain steadfast, no matter how circumstances change. KARI has over 4 million followers on social media. Their inquiries help us improve our service: we extended the store warranty to 180 days and introduced 24/7 support accounting for different time zones. The shopper chooses between a retail store, website, or marketplace. Trust is built through continuous dialogue and tangible solutions in response to inquiries,” noted Oksana Ledovskaya, Marketing Director at KARI.
At the same time, the digitalization of support is not just a matter of speed and automation. It is equally important that customers can choose a preferred channel to communicate with the company. “Digital service is not just about a quick response, but the ability to help a person in the way that suits them best. For some, a chat is sufficient; others are used to communicating on social networks and messengers; while someone else may need a video consultation in sign language. Technology should make support more convenient without replacing human attention,” emphasized Anton Sukovaty, Director of Customer Service and Support at Samsung Electronics in Russia and CIS countries.
The role of technology in customer experience is also reflected in the award’s special project “Digital Leaders in Retail & Service” (DIGITAL LEADERS RETAIL & SERVICE), which covers digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and online services.
“Today, consumers evaluate not only the product, but the entire journey of interaction with the brand. Feedback is becoming a key tool: it helps businesses adapt more quickly to changing demands and establish service standards. Technologies, including AI, allow us to analyze these signals and personalize the customer experience,” shared Alexey Shuvalov, Director of the Customer Relations Center at Turbo Oblako.
“JELAND is a Russian automotive brand created taking into account the specifics of the local market and motorists’ expectations. For us, it is important not only to manufacture cars, but also to understand what truly matters to the people who drive them. Therefore, we maintain a constant dialogue with our audience and take feedback into account for the brand’s further development,” noted Roman Skolsky, Public Relations Director at JELAND.
In the audio industry, interacting with the audience involves not only addressing familiar inquiries, but also introducing listeners to new formats and solutions. Pavel Katkov, curator of the Audio Triangle project (Radiotehnika – Audiomania – ZVUK NA VINILE), spoke about this approach: “Working with consumers is not just about hearing their requests, but also being ready to offer them something they might not have thought about before. It is crucial not only to introduce a person to a new product or technology, but also to understand what response it elicited from the audience. It is precisely such a dialogue that allows us to better understand consumer interests and take them into account during further product development.”
In the legal services segment, an essential criterion is the accessibility of professional assistance regardless of the region of residence. “For us, this award is an occasion to evaluate the work done and determine future directions for service development. Behind this recognition lies the extensive daily effort of the team: we constantly develop the product so that legal help becomes more accessible. The complexity of an issue should not become a barrier either. For residents of many regions, this is especially relevant; hence the platform helps people from different parts of the country find specialized professionals regardless of where they live,” commented a representative of Sber Legal.
One of the key directions is reducing the customer’s time and effort. As noted by the press service of Aviasales: “People increasingly want to solve tasks quickly and without unnecessary hassle. It is the same story with searching for flight tickets: you can sort through destinations, dates, and filters, or you can simply message Smart Search what you want and get ready-made options. We strive to make ticket search simpler and more convenient so that users have more time left for the journey itself, rather than for planning it.”
The examples of the laureates demonstrate that high-quality service is built upon tangible solutions: convenient digital tools, flexible service schedules, accessible support, and readiness to heed feedback. Competition unfolds not only around product specifications, but also around how consistently a company delivers on its promises to the customer.
The Consumer Choice Award honors companies and projects in the field of product quality and service. Among the laureates are representatives of various market segments for whom working on customer experience has become an integral part of business development.