Improving customer experience requires an introspective approach
Everyone has customers. They can be internal or external, paying or non-paying, temporary or recurring. Everyone working to produce something for someone has an obligation to control for and design the best possible customer experience if they want to remain competitive in today’s marketplace or maintain great customer relations.
As we have seen over the past few years, customers are demanding experiences, which are rich, flawless and consistent. This is not only caused by increased competition, but by transformational ideas to what were perceived as solid businesses and services. Let us not forget the example of the disruption Netflix has created by revolutionizing how digital content is obtained, served and most recently created. Just in the past few years one can see the impact Netflix has had in changing how content is created and how it has put TV networks and movie studios on notice (although, there are exceptions, such as Arrested Development.)
Netflix is an example that when looking for ways to improve the customer experience, you can transform an industry, and create a new marketplace. This might not be completely evident in every business or with every customer, but I argue every business, from a morgue to a restaurant to an IT department, can find ways to improve your customer experience.
The extremes are meant to prove a point — customer experience exists in different forms. It is up to you to take an introspective look at your business, your customer touch points, and decide if you should design better or create new experiences.
Customers are also at the same time expected to bring their best desires. We expect that customers are forthright and willing to give great feedback all the time. That is simply not true. We all know customers will complain more often due to a poor experience than they are to commend a positive experience. And it is my opinion that survey paralysis is real. Who among us gets frustrated with the immediate “take our survey” pop-up on a website upon the first visit? We must design better feedback systems.
Simple advice will tell you to create a feedback loop. But I argue you already have your feedback loop in place. Every system, whether you offer mortuary services, or make sandwiches, inherently contain feedback loops. The best way to find them is to look for transactions with a value exchange — either monetary or non-monetary.
1) Monitor and react to your feedback loops.
Create opportunities to obtain feedback regarding a customer experience through the most organic and least intrusive ways possible. This will help you get the most honest, real-time feedback. Again, reaction to feedback is the key. You must act on, in a timely manner, the feedback you asked your customers to graciously provide.
2) Experience your product or service from your customer’s point of view.
Take a normal touch point and follow it to its natural conclusion. For example, let’s imagine you are making sandwiches. What is the first thing a customer does and what is the first thing a clerk does? Find those intersections (value exchange transactions) because unless you are a self-service operation, those intersections are where you need to improve. Throughout the sandwich making process, from welcoming in, selecting order, placing order, waiting for order, receiving order, consuming, and leaving, all these activities have an expected satisfaction level. You may not know it, but a customer is most often passively judging the interactions and will remember poor interactions the most, followed by outstanding interactions, and neutral will fall off the charts. Does that sound like the familiar NPS measurement?
In a physical location, this question may evoke an image of you standing on the other side of the counter, but for a moment imagine what your world would look like if you were on the receiving end of your product or service. How often do you take the time to put yourself in your customer’s shoes? Go out and purchase your product or service from your channels. Experience the product you put out and then find where you can do better.
3) Find three things to improve and make it happen.
Not only should you find three things to fix regarding customer experience, but also the fixes should do things such as make your operation more efficient and reduce waste. Do not make the mistake and assume improvements must reduce complexity up and down the stack. There could be reasons why introducing complexity will improve a customer experience and if you know what they are and agree to them, then complexity is fine.
Improving customer experience requires an empathetic approach when evaluating your customer’s experiences. By doing this, the results will be more engaged and loyal customers, who spread the good word, and help you ensure future success. You will benefit from these, but also intrinsically — such as building a more empathetic company which truly listens and responds to customers.
