Quality service remains key to success in customer experience, says PwC leader

Loretta Fong also mentioned that the continuous evolution of product offerings to cope with trends is also important.

Loretta Fong never thought of becoming an accountant.

It was only after studying business administration for a year that she decided to choose professional accountancy as her career. For her, accounting is a common business language that needs to be learned well.

“It helps me build a solid foundation for understanding businesses, analysing performance, and providing recommendations to my clients,” she said.

This has propelled her career to great heights, as Fong now serves as the ESG Services Leader, PwC Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area. She has over 25 years of experience in public accounting, serving clients of various sizes including conglomerates engaged in a variety of industries including retail, TMT, and logistics, as well as start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Currently, she also serves as a General Committee Member of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, amongst her many other external appointments.

Her vast experience also allowed her to see the customer experience landscape from a different perspective. She mentioned that since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a huge demand for an online customer experience, in which businesses need to attract attention from their potential customers in a split second.

Moreover, she observed that there is totally a new space for consumers, especially the younger generation, who are now seeking unique customer experiences with the recent developments of Web 3.0 and NFTs.

Businesses that embrace digital transformation also thrive in providing an outstanding customer experience. Fong said that with this undertaking, experiences can be personalised and custom-made to suit customers’ needs, more so now that they do not need to step away from their homes to enjoy such experiences.

However, since many companies have already realised this fact, companies need to set themselves apart from their competition. Fong emphasised that quality service and products remain the keys to success and to staying away from the competition.

“It allows the customers to make repeated purchases – and recommend to others.  Besides, continuous [evolution] of service or product offering to cope with trends is also important,” she said.

Fong also advised companies that are in the process of developing their customer experience initiatives to “listen well, obtain feedback, and continue to evolve,” as it is not an easy endeavour.

The PwC leader is amongst the esteemed panel of judges for this year’s Asian Experience Awards. She is looking for entries that show true care for customers’ needs, innovation, and the incorporation of ESG in their philosophies and missions.