Why “we” matter…

This is about to be the most “old man ranting in his rocking chair while listening to his radio” story you’ve ever read.

But, I promise there’s a point…maybe.

Let the records show that I’m not quite 30 years old…but even as a “nearly 30” year old, I remember a better time. One might say…an easier time. A time where the internet was a fresh hip new thing and Nokias were taking the world by storm. A time of LAN parties and actual Dollar Menus at Wendy’s (coming with this $1.25 Dollar menu…you’re better than that Wendy’s).

Are you there yet? Are you sitting in a field listening to me (wearing a sweater vest, unnecessary reading glasses and sitting on an old tree stump) farm land to your left and an old farm house on your right?

Good. Now sit there and enjoy.

I just had one of the worst experiences with Amazon I’d had since I first started buying from the website. The purchasing flows have been optimized, they can take my money faster than ever before…and I’ve let them (but that’s another tale for another time). I was buying anew pair of running shoes and given that the race I’m running is next week Sunday, I needed the shoes ASAP. So I paid extra for 2-day delivery.

Well, needless to say things didn’t work out that way. This story isn’t about that, this story isn’t even really about their customer support. Which was awful. Like…rull bad.

Empty promises, barely listening and terrible resolution flows.

But the worst part. The most awful part of this entire experience is the realization that I’ll go through it all again. Maybe not the exact flow, but I’ll certainly buy from Amazon again. Because it’s easy, because I like a deal and because I’m a glutton for punishment.

For now…

I, as well as the majority of the world, have traded in customer appreciation for the sake of convenience. I’m happy to take my licks so that I can continue to get what I want, when I want it, as fast as humanly possible to get it.

Amazon isn’t the only culprit, they aren’t even the one’s who invented it. They perfected it, sure, but they didn’t invent it.

We did.

The people who use the services. The buyers, the consumers. We’re the ones that took ourselves for granted by offering our willingness to sacrifice to the Gods of “easy living”.

But there are winds of change.

Which gets me to my point…I know “finally” right? Well here it is. We’re moving to a “subscription” way of life, right? “Rent not buy” is the mantra chanted by the consumer faithful as we march into 2017.

To companies, it means more long term revenue, to us it means less “commitment” which is honestly, really nice. I mean I’m already married to a wonderful person, I don’t want to be married to my video streaming service as well.

But without the long term agreements, how do companies keep us coming back. The products? Sure, of course. We still want what you’re selling. But like any relationship if it’s abusive for too long, then the person will leave. No matter how good the merchandise is.

Here’s the thesis, it’s coming right now:

Customer retention is in large part associated with how a company treats it’s consumers.

It starts from the first exchange. The “Hi, my name’s netflix and I like dogs and I think you’re really cute” if you will.

It continues through the purchasing flow. The “Let’s move in together” phase.

And it should…continue after the commitment. There shouldn’t be a surprise after you sign a shared lease. Small surprises, like when you find out your significant other can’t sleep without their glow in the dark picture of Scott Bakula, are ok. But big ones? Like they still take baths with their cousins or that they get really really angry after losing to you in Monopoly…those aren’t ok.

And we all have our limits to how much abuse we’ll take before we leave.

And that’s it. It’s that simple. We, as a consumer culture, are shifting and companies need to realize, that, because we’re not as committed and there are more and more “fish in the sea” there is more to “keeping us around” then just having a good product.

So, the moral of this tale is that “we” matter. Us, as people, matter. And companies will be successful if they decide that the customer experience doesn’t end with the purchase, that the next purchase is just as important as the first one.

Rant over…for now.