Think back to the last time you had an experience with a brand that blew you off your feet. Maybe it was an experience that smoothed out a difficult problem. Maybe it was one that made you laugh so hard you cried. Maybe it was one that made you realise you needed something you didn’t even know existed.
The question then is, how was it that brand was able to connect with you so successfully?
While I don’t know what the brand responsible for your remarkable experience did, I can say with almost 100% certainty that their success was down to a genuine understanding of their customers.
The truth is that making a success of customer experience takes a lot of time and energy, not only during its implementation but through its entire lifecycle.
If you’re looking to capture the attention of your customers and wow them with your approach to customer experience, then these three building blocks to customer experience success will provide the solid foundation and direction you need.
#1 Start with the things that people expect - get the basics right
The very first building block is all about getting the basics right.
These are the soft skills, like having polite and friendly advisors - the things that people expect when they reach out to your brand. And, when these things don’t happen, you’re left with dissatisfied customers.
It’s also about making sure that, fundamentally, things are working in a way that your customers want and expect. So, if they go to make a purchase online, the process is smooth and straightforward.
Another way to think about it is like a basic hygiene factor. Nobody notices if the office kitchen is clean, but they notice straight away if it’s dirty and untidy.
#2 Add processed elements to create consistent experiences
The second building block is around creating a reliable experience for your customers. It’s about creating processes around the core elements of your customer experience, to ensure each and every customer has the same service level.
This building block is about things like liability, time limits and resolution; making sure these elements are all consistent and reliable, in all the services that you do. It means that when customers call in or access a service, they know what they're getting, and they know it's a reasonably high standard.
This building block will take you a long way to delivering greatness in your customer experience.
#3 Deliver the unexpected - what customers don’t even know they want!
With the two previous building blocks in place, you're in a position where you can start looking at delighting your customers and going above and beyond the basic.
The way to do this is to deliver what the customer didn't even know they wanted.
It’s a real challenge to get to this stage. It relies on being able to anticipate what your customers are likely to want and need, based on what you already know about them. Understand your customer base, understand the different concerns that each customer segment has and make sure the service proposition is tailored to what the customer needs.
To deliver the unexpected, you need a concrete understanding of your customer journeys and their key touch points with the brand. Otherwise, your efforts to delight can easily miss the mark. Most brands are still working towards building block one or two, where the focus is about delivering consistent and reliable service. But understanding where you can progress to and work towards will help you to shape and build your offering, both now and in the future.
Our recent eBook: The Anatomy of Great Customer Experience explores the mismatch between companies and customers. While 80% of companies reported that they believe they deliver a “superior experience” to their customers, only 8% of customers agree. Grab your copy here!
