1.1 The CX Concept

Customer experience is a relatively new and widely accepted concept in the marketing domain because it emphasizes delivery of unique, satisfactory, and memorable experience. CX is gaining attention—in both theory and practice—as a strategic process explored by innovative organizations to achieve differentiation, create holistic customer value, and sustain competitive advantage (Heffernan & LaValle, 2007). CX results from a series of interactions between customers and businesses providing products and services. Thus, it can be conceptualized holistically as a strategy focused on creating customer-oriented values in multiple interactions across different touchpoints with the intention of leveraging social, affective, and sensory cognitive factors among consumers in different market segments (Jung, 2013; Bhatia & Priya, 2021). Considering the huge benefits of CX (specifically consumer satisfaction, competitive advantage, and high profit margins), it is considered a crucial element of marketing theory and practice (Silva et al, 2021).

However, leaders need clear understanding of the CX concept and business trends—as may be influenced by social behaviour, digital technology and product or service differentiation—to create values for different business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customers (B2C) markets (Angelini & Gilli, 2021; Kuppelwieser & Klaus, 2021).

1.2 The importance of CX in the case of Samsung mobile phones
Apple dominates the mobile device market in the United Kingdom, where it has maintained approximately 50% of the total market share for over a decade. But a 2021 Statistica survey indicates that Samsung leads in global and European markets. When compared by devices shipped from the UK to other countries in 2020, the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer (Samsung) was responsible for 17% whereas Apple accounted for 11%. However, top phones in the UK were the iPhone 11 (first) and iPhone SE 2020 (second) which made up a combined 25% closely followed by Samsung’s flagship models (Galaxy s20 Plus 5G and Galaxy A10) in the third position, and Galaxy A21s in third place (Geoffrey, 2020; Lionel, 2021; Samsung, 2022).

Samsung commands respect and attention at Mobile World Congress (MWC). Evidence-based facts also show that customer experience and innovation are keys to the brand’s success in the UK. As shown in Figure 1.1 below, Samsung’s winning strategy since 2011 hinges on ethical management, fair and transparent corporate management, and sustainable business practices that enable the company to build trust with stakeholder groups—mainly customers, as well as shareholders, employees, business partners and local communities (Klink et al, 2021; Bhatia & Priya, 2021).

Figure 1: Market share of mobile phone companies in the UK (2010-2020)

Source: Statistica (2021)

But while mobile phone manufacturers around the world are hoping 5G will drive sales, Samsung is leveraging customer experience to drive growth in the following ways:

• CX helps to interpret consumer satisfaction, behaviour, and attitude as well as the quality of relationship shared with customers in different market segments (Heffernan & LaValle, 2007).
• Samsung depends on CX knowledge to provide customer support throughout the entire lifecycle of their device (Silva et al, 2021).
• CX drives innovation in smartphones, Samsung is not the only company producing foldable and 5G-compliant devices, so it is attempting to diversify its portfolio (components, new wearables, and telecoms networking equipment), with emphasis on synched consumer applications powered by the SmartThings platform.
• CX endears customers to Samsung’s values, goals, and business objectives (Lipkin, 2016).
• Innovation-driven CX makes customers feel loyalty to Samsung and the wider ecosystem.

Customer experience, a relatively fresh concept in the world of marketing, underscores the importance of delivering distinctive, satisfying, and unforgettable interactions. This notion of CX is now gaining considerable traction, both in theory and real-world application, as forward-thinking companies embrace it as a strategic tool. By doing so, they aim to stand out from the competition, offer a comprehensive sense of customer value, and maintain a lasting edge in the market (Heffernan & LaValle, 2007). As customer experience specialists https://www.customerization.ca/customer-experience-consultant/, it's crucial to leverage these insights to craft strategies that foster these meaningful connections between customers and businesses, thus enhancing overall satisfaction and loyalty.