Behind 5 Star Rating: How to deliver a great customer experience (part 2)
When we founded Daytrip in 2015, Tomas and I knew that delivering a great customer experience was going to make or break our business. In this series, I will take you through each element of how we make sure our customers come away happy and satisfied.
The next step after you have put together the right customer support team is setting the right expectations in the minds of your customers.
Customer expectations are going to create the frame within which customers will evaluate your product or service, so it’s critical that you get this right if you want to excel at creating a great customer experience.
Tip 1: Be clear about the product or service you’re offering
At Daytrip, what we do for our customers hasn’t changed (much) since the day we founded the company in 2015. The way that we talk about it to prospective customers, though, has evolved to better match our core service to customers’ needs:
Daytrip is turning inter-city transfers into memorable travel experiences by connecting travelers with knowledgeable local drivers to seamlessly get them from points A to B on their journey.
Even individual words matter. Imagine if we changed the word “driver” to “guide”. Wouldn’t you expect a different type of service from a knowledgeable local guide than from a knowledgeable local driver?
When we first started out, that’s exactly how we described ourselves. And we quickly realized that our customers were bringing a completely different set of expectations with them to our service. They expected a constant stream of narrative, punctuated by key dates and personalities, while being driven from one historical sight to the next. And they felt disappointed when they merely got from points A to B on their journey seamlessly and without stress.
After we changed one word — “guides” to “drivers” — our customers arrive with a different set of expectations that are more in line with our core service. Our service didn’t change, only the customers’ expectations did.
And when a customer who is expecting something (a driver) finds instead someone who is able to do more (help them reduce some of the pains of being a traveler), then you’re on track to deliver a great experience. Which brings me to my next tip:
Tip 2: Find ways to exceed customers’ expectations
Once you have set your customers’ expectations about the type and level of service that you provide, if you want to deliver a great customer experience you need to leave room to exceed those expectations. Even in a few small (but meaningful) ways.
Because when it comes to exceeding customer expectations, little things do make a big difference.
In the case of Daytrip, our customers are travelers. We all know what it’s like to be a traveler: coping with many sources of anxiety while feeling dislocated and a little bit lost at times.
Since we know what our customers’ pains are, we found ways to lessen their pains and put them at ease on top of our core service:
- We make sure our drivers are at the pick-up point 20 minutes or more earlier than scheduled (not on time, and never late!) so our customers never have to search for or wait for the driver
- Our drivers carry their luggage to and from the car without being asked
- There are always bottles of water waiting for them in the car
- Drivers will give honest recommendations for where to eat and drink if our customers ask for tips
- Our drivers are also happy to help our customers sort out logistical details in the local language — making reservations or speaking with hotels/Airbnb hosts on their behalf
We do all these things for our customers on top of our core service because we know that solving these small problems for them will make a huge difference in their travel experience and experience of Daytrip.
And we don’t advertise these additional perks, even though they comprise our standard level of service, because we want to exceed our customers’ expectations.
Tip 3: Don’t do something you aren’t great at
This might sound like a no-brainer, but I know that everyone out there at a start-up that’s just finding and honing its USP will understand the temptation that comes from being asked to do something that’s outside of your comfort zone in exchange for a much-needed early traction.
My advice is: don’t do it.
If a customer asks you to do something that your business isn’t built to deliver, don’t feel pressured to agree. Any short-term benefits of a sale will soon be outweighed by an unsatisfied customer and unhappy colleagues asked to perform outside of their scope of work.
The custom The Sound of Music tour around Salzburg that one of our very early customers asked us to organize (yes, back in our “knowledgeable guide” phase — see how important expectations are?) did not meet either our customer’s desires nor make it pleasant for our driver, who had to drive a visibly disappointed fan that had traveled a long way for this trip.
When you get a request outside of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to refer a potential customer to an indirect competitor whose business is built around the type of service they are looking for.
The revenue you might lose from a sale (along with a disappointed customer who may potentially leave a negative review for all to see) is more than made up for by the goodwill you are creating around your company in the long run by giving even those who aren’t potential customers a positive experience.
Under-promise and over-deliver
Let’s recap the keys to setting the right expectations for your customer. Be clear about the product or service you’re offering. Always meet their expectations and find ways to exceed them. Be honest with yourself about what you can and can’t do, and don’t stretch yourself thin trying to make a sale by delivering more services poorly instead of fewer services to a high standard of quality.
The best way to learn about your customers’ expectations and what they are looking for from your product or service is by reading customer feedback. We’ll cover that in the next post.
