Customers want a frictionless experience— wherever, whenever. No matter what technology is involved, they expect it to be easy, useful, and (for an added bonus) fun. We know all of this about our customers, just like we know every minute detail about their interactions with us, but we still have trouble designing products and services that they’ll actually use. So how do we take all of that data and put it into the hands of our end users to create a better experience? By designing for the customer moment.

Use Design as a Data Filter
Use design to filter your customer's data into something useful for them. Think of the suggestions ribbon at the bottom of every page on Amazon. It automatically populates based on your search history and what you’re browsing right at that moment. Good design serves as the bridge between data and engagement. It hooks users in, driving adoption without taking them out of the moment.

Design for Function
In any good design, the visual and functional aspects have to balance each other for successful results. I’m not talking avant-garde; I’m talking about the everyday realities of the average person walking down the street who has 15 minutes to get to a meeting and is trying to decide between the subway or a cab while simultaneously jotting down last-minute notes on the way there. What do they need from your design and technology to ensure they have the best experience under these particular circumstances?

Design an Experience That Connects People
Your design also will need to draw in your target audience emotionally. It should bite into your brand narrative, but that’s not enough. You want it to illustrate the ways in which your customers can and should be connecting with you via your product or service. Just think of how Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, uses its mobile application to connect with fans. It creates a shared experience from the very beginning stages of the customer journey by guiding you through the ultimate fan experience, complete with mobile snack delivery to your seat.

Designing for the customer moment requires a thorough understanding of your customers’ wants, needs, opportunities, and pain points— that’s where data comes in. Take what you know about your customers and then design your product or service with them in mind. They don’t have time to learn a complicated system or dig for information. Merge what you know with a simple user interface and thoroughly tested user experience to deliver exceptional customer experiences that will keep your users coming back again and again.

For more ways to keep your customers engaged, check out Eric’s latest book Customer Obsessed.