So, here we are at Results, the point at which all five of the customer love languages converge to deliver customer success. To the customer, when his or her top of mind expectations and desired outcomes are met, that represents success.

In the past, results meant simply one thing……solutions, as in products or services performing their functions. The modern day customer wants results that go beyond simple solutions, beyond products and services that just get the job done. Businesses are expected to make decision simplicity and customer-friendly processes a way of life (Simplicity); to create a bill of rights around flexible options (Options); to have responsive contact channels (Accessibility) and offer an “individualized” experience that is as unique as the customer (Engagement).

Convergence of these five love languages doesn’t happen overnight, it happens over time. Throw in on-time delivery, no waiting, near zero complaints and a business can have customers for life, if it checks off all of these boxes.

Whether your business is a quick service food outlet, a spa, a supermarket, an insurance company, or a financial services institution, bringing all of these five customer love languages together can be the secret sauce for achieving customer success. Through a process called “design thinking,” a business can design the pre-experience, the current experience and the post-experience memory that it wants to deliver to its customers.

“Through a process called “design thinking,” a business can design the pre-experience, the current experience and the post-experience memory that it wants to deliver to its customers.”

 

Firstly, decide on your pre-experience, love language connection (Engagement). Is your Facebook page engaging and appealing; do your customers feel that your business is addressing some of their most unique and pressing needs; how easily can customers access your business (Accessibility)? More importantly, is your first point of engagement and accessibility influencing “customers to adopt, try or sign up for” your product or service? This here is your first customer success metric. Is your business causing your customer to actually start being a customer from the first interaction (in person, online etc.)?

Try not to fall into the trap of being a product-centered business that only shoots product information at its customers. Updates are fine, but aim to optimize the value adding opportunities to connect meaningfully with your customers.

If your business is not in the self-development industry, please stop posting those daily motivational quotes and start posting more educational content for your customers. If you are a financial institution, why not create a   wealth creation series? If you are a spa start posting tips on well-being, if you are an insurance business, why not post information on how your clients can manage their health issues more effectively? If you are a quick service restaurant, how about posting nutritional information on gluten free dietary choices? In all of these cases, you are giving your customers reasons to keep visiting your Facebook, Instagram and other social media channels to “see what’s new with your educational content” and of course, when they check in, they should not be disappointed.

“Here is where your business delivers a “complaint free” experience marked by solutions, keeping promises, no bureaucracy and an ideal level of flexible options.”

 

Secondly, we enter the phase where the customer is fully immersed in the experience. Here is where Simplicity and Options help to elevate the transaction to a level that is thoroughly enjoyable. Here is where your business delivers a “complaint free” experience marked by solutions, keeping promises, no bureaucracy and an ideal level of flexible options. Here is where you serve your customers as if the life of your business depended on it and just in case you have forgotten……it does.

Lastly, the post-experience actions that you take can seriously cement your business as the leading brand in your industry. Real service differentiation can happen in this phase. Why not reach out to customers to find out how your product or service is performing, to discover if there are any issues that need to be addressed, or to share a few more tips on usage?

Let me throw in a couple of critical factors for good measure. The self-image of a business sets the tone for aspirational success. Steve Jobs believed that Apple was in the game changing business and boy, did Apple change our way of interacting with technology in entertainment, in business and in telecommunications. Game changers revolutionize their industry.

“Businesses that take the time to connect with their customers on an emotional level, create a heart and mind bond that sows good seed for achieving customer success.”

 

Additionally, it’s critical for a business to be emotionally intelligent. Maya Angelou said it eloquently, “people will not remember what you said, will not remember what you did, but will remember forever, how you made them feel.” Businesses that take the time to connect with their customers on an emotional level, create a heart and mind bond that sows good seed for achieving customer success.

So, by now we should have realized that simply having a great product or service is not enough for winning with customers. Moreover, we are in a state of urgency and only those businesses that become game changers will walk away with the prize of customer attention and customer love.

Oh and by the way, when you are a game changer, everybody knows your name.