As it stands there is a clear distinction between the expectation from customers and how employees deliver. Of course, not all companies understand the value of excellent customer experiences, but it’s an ideal that’s relatively easy to follow – empower all employees at every touchpoint in the customer journey, to make the experience as memorable as possible.
What drives customers away?
- Bad employee attitudes: Unfriendly service
- An Untrusted company
- Unknowledgeable employees
- Inefficiency
- Product not always available
- Inconsistent store experiences
The bottom line when it comes to aspects that drive away customers and erode your revenue is pretty simple in theory, but oftentimes, more challenging to implement and especially maintain. Furthermore, the one big connector to all the points mentioned above, is the human touch. That is creating connections by giving employees what they need to create better customer experiences. It’s not state secret that people are increasingly loyal to the retailers, brands and products that consistently provide exceptional value with minimal friction and stress. The most important aspect of providing exceptional value is ensuring that no gap exists between expected value and perceived value. A value deficit where the expected value is greater than the perceived value is what drives customers away, thus it is so critical that what you state your customer service experience will be matches (or importantly exceeds) that in your operations.
5 key takeaways
- The cornerstone is the employee experience: in a technologically-driven world, it would seem that people want more human interaction, the secret is achieving a seamless experience between technology and human interaction.
- The price premium is real: there is a direct correlation between customers willing to spend more for good service and consistent quality.
- Bad customer experience is driving people away – fast: and you won’t have many chances to get it right. Consumers are spoilt for choice and won’t hesitate to walk away from brands they love if it means getting a better experience elsewhere.
- Companies need to get the ‘must-dos’ right: convenience, speed, friendly service and seamless technology are cited as the most important must-do’s to get right.
- Experience is the strategy: focus on the customer experience at all times.
Considering all of the points regarding customer experience right, there is a formula for getting it right – the right company culture, empowered employees and unlocking revenue opportunities through better customer experience can mean the difference in the fight for longevity.
The bottom line is finding the right balance that works for your organization, but also keeping in mind that great employee experience brings stronger, smarter and more innovative ideas to the forefront. This will drive future business and far superior customer experiences.
Summit specialises in working with organisations to identify and bridge the gaps in customer experience, with a special focus on employee empowerment and upskilling. We’re here to help – get in touch to speak with our team today.