Ecommerce expert Martin Newman on the future of customer experience and brand loyalty

Martin Newman is an expert when it comes to customer experience, digital transformation and consumer-centric business strategy: with over four decades in retail and eCommerce leadership, he has shaped the success of major brands including Harrods, Burberry, Pentland Brands and Intersport, before founding his own thriving consultancy, Customer First Group. Speaking to The Motivational Speakers Agency, he shares his expert insights on evolving customer expectations, the myths surrounding brand loyalty, and the mindset leaders must adopt to stay ahead in a rapidly changing business landscape.

As customer expectations evolve faster than ever, what strategies should business leaders adopt to stay ahead of the curve?

The key to keeping ahead is not just about keeping up with trends, but actually anticipating them. To do that, businesses need to embed customer insight into all their decision-making, leveraging real-time data and feedback loops to stay in sync with shifting needs.

The best brands don’t just react, they set the standard by continuously innovating around their customers’ evolving expectations.

Leaders have to embrace what I would call a perpetual beta mindset. We should always be testing, learning and adapting. That means not getting comfortable with past successes, but instead fostering a culture and mindset that values experimentation, speed and customer obsession. The brands that adapt faster are the ones who will be the winners.

From your experience, what are the most common misconceptions businesses have about customer experience and what their customers truly value?

The biggest myth about the customer experience is that businesses assume they already know what customers want. The majority of businesses report metrics that only talk about what happened rather than why things happened.

If you’re in retail, for example, you might sit in a trading meeting discussing conversion rates. That’s a great measure of what’s happened, but it’s only a backward-facing measure. It doesn’t tell you why that happened. What’s more important is understanding why 95% of customers left the website without buying something. It’s that level of insight that leads to better decisions.

Another myth is that loyalty is driven purely by price and promotions. While these are important, true loyalty comes from connection – from delivering seamless experiences and aligning with customer values. Competing solely on price is a race to the bottom.

Customers also don’t just want efficiency. While speed and convenience matter, what truly differentiates a brand is personalisation and authenticity. We’ve been talking about personalisation for decades, but in reality, I rarely receive a truly personalised piece of communication that reflects who I am and what I’ve bought before.

People don’t just want transactions, they want relationships. Businesses that fail to humanise the customer experience risk losing out to those that do.

Loyalty remains one of the biggest challenges in today’s market. In your view, what separates a loyal customer from a true brand advocate?

The issue with most businesses is that they treat their customers far too transactionally. Customers don’t just buy products – they buy experiences, they buy emotions, and they buy a sense of belonging.

If you want loyalty, you have to give customers something to believe in. Brands that stand for something bigger than their product, and consistently deliver on their promises, create a level of advocacy no marketing budget can buy.

The marketer’s nirvana is when customers themselves become recruiters – when they’ve had such a great experience that they tell others about it. That’s what every business should be aiming for.

Loyalty isn’t built through points programmes alone. It’s built through moments of surprise and delight – the unexpected touches that make customers feel special and valued. Whether it’s a handwritten note, an unexpected gift or a seamless experience, brands that go the extra mile are the ones customers talk about.

When speaking to audiences about customer-centric leadership, what key mindset or message do you hope they leave with?

For anyone I have the privilege of presenting to, my goal is to challenge conventional thinking and inspire them to take action. I don’t just want to give people ideas. I want them to feel energised to do something differently.

Whether that’s rethinking how they measure success or how they engage with customers, I want them to leave with a new perspective and, even more importantly, with a plan of action they can take back to their business to do things better.