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6 KEYS TO IMPROVING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE (WHICH IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS)

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CUSTOMER’S EXPERIENCE

I saw an ad from a social WiFi marketing company touting the data they collect on your customers from Facebook which includes:

  • Demographics
  • Page Likes
  • Location & Language
  • Facebook Usage
  • Purchase Activity

Great data for a brand but how useful is this generic data for a SOHO or small business looking to increase customer retention.  After all, aren’t all 34 year old women who like to bike, who buy Lululemon, who work in sales and who log onto their FB page once a day, all the same? And does it really matter? Yes, according to the National Business Research Institute. The NBRI pointed to research conducted by Frederick Reichheld and W. Earl Sasser that revealed that when a company retains just five percent more of its customers, profits increase by 25 percent to 125 percent!. And they found that the key to improving customer satisfaction comes from simply listening to the actual voice of the customer.

The NBRI wrote: “The only way to know the changes your company needs to make is to listen to the voices of your customers. Incorporating customer research into your marketing efforts is a wise investment that will result in a significant ROI.”

THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER IMPACTS THE BOTTOM LINE

 

The impact on the bottom line is tangible to any size business. Where it costs 4-10X more to acquire a new customer than retain a new one and where satisfied customers make 56% more visits.

“Research is the only universal best practice. The only way to know the changes your company needs to make is to listen to the voices of your customers. Incorporating customer research into your marketing efforts is a wise investment that will result in a significant ROI.” according “The Fallacy of Universal Best Practices.”

Your customers have a voice and most* are happy to tell what you want to know if you give them the chance. Use multiple channels to hear what your customers are saying, what they like (what they don’t) and what they want.  Try implementing customer feedback as much as possible, through the WiFi you  provide (Turnstyle Solutions, via email (Constant Contact or MailChimp) or through your mobile app. Add a CRM that captures every interaction you have with a customer, online and in your place of business.  And, as simple as it sounds, ask them. Pick up the phone and randomly call your clients (especially those that left a poor review) learn who they are and listen to what they have to say.

Or you can listen to the group-speak voice of a generic group of 34 year old women who like to bike, who work out and who log onto their FB page once a day.

THE 6 KEYS TO IMPROVING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Michael Carver and Gary Cagnon, Professors of Marketing at Central Michigan University, have identified keys to improving customer satisfaction programs. The key activities they identify include:

  1. ·        A customer-focused culture
  2. ·        Executive support, persistence, and intensity
  3. ·        A set of customer listening tools
  4. ·        Linking performance measures
  5. ·        Identifying improvement opportunities
  6. ·        Evaluating and rewarding customer value and satisfaction (CVS)

But none of this will work unless you add the critical 7th key:

7.          LISTEN!!

#itsallaboutthecustomersvoice

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3 STEPS THAT TURN EMPLOYEES INTO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SUPERHEROES

Stop and think of the best customer experience you have had recently- the over-the-top experience that stayed with you.

What do you remember about the experience? Was it the excellent food, the new item you bought or a delivery that went smoothly?

The data tells the story:

  • 70% of buying experiences are based solely on how the customer feels they are being treated
  • 73% become loyal to a company based on a friendly staff and great service

and my favorite:

  • 80% of companies believe they deliver superior customer service…but only 8% of customers said they agree.

It (almost) always comes down to a person. An employee that uses their super powers to provide a memorable customer experience. That intangible feeling that leaves us with a desire for more.

What makes some employees super heroes? Some have the golden touch, but a stand out customer-centric, do-whatever-it-takes attitude doesn’t happen in a vacuum: it comes from companies that train, respect, trust and empower their employees.

Empowered employees are those employees who never  utter those detested words “I will have to call a manager” or “please hold while I find someone who can help you” or “I am so sorry for your inconvenience” which is often the prelude to a migraine- mine! Employees who are allowed to make decisions even if that means making mistakes. As the CEO of Bonobos states:”Empowered to take care of customers in the moment.”

THE POWER OF TIME

I was online at a store, waiting to pay for a skirt. There was only one cashier and the person she was helping was arguing over a return. I asked another clerk if they could open a 2nd register, to be told that only the manager could authorize it and she, of course, was on a break. I put down my item as did 4 people behind me.

Empower to take care of customers in the moment: Imagine if this store had empowered their staff to check out their customers on their cell phone or a tablet. She could have walked over to the line and checked out those of us with 1-2 items, while we were waiting. Shorter lines for people with more items, 5 more purchases and 5 happy customers.

Every business can turn their team into customer experience super heroes. It takes a little imagination, a lot of determination and 3 simple steps:

3 STEPS TO EMPOWER YOUR HIDDEN SUPERHEROES:

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