I was writing the headline and chuckling to myself about the extra mile. We know that this milestone occurs when extra effort goes into a transaction or customer experience, in order to deliver customer happiness, beyond the expected end point. But, if many businesses have a challenge with just meeting minimum transaction requirements, how can …
Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels There’s this misplaced belief that training of employees cures all performance failings. I encounter the plaintive cry of, “We sent so and so for training because his or her performance was declining.” So, I like to ask about what additional prescriptions were administered in the attempt to improve the performance outcomes. Often, …
Whenever a customer visits, a business has a small window to make a lasting impression that is positive and grand. We’ve had a year and a half of a pandemic that has driven sweeping changes in how customers conduct business and their new expectations around how they want to be treated. We have the pandemic …
It is well-established wisdom that the best route to mastering an activity, is through practice. Well, I am suggesting, on behalf of the customer experience (CX) improvement practitioners of the world that the best way to master customer experience is to “live” in the customer’s shoes. I’m not referring to walking a mile in his …
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 …
To a customer, changing his or her mind in the middle of a purchase seems like the most natural thing in the world. Now, let’s say the scenario relates to the purchase of a vehicle, where the transaction may be at the point where almost all of the paperwork is done and the decision may …
Simplicity is the customer’s third love language. In a world of overstimulation, simplicity is a welcome diversion. Individuals are being overloaded with decisions on a daily basis and appreciate when they don’t have to do any heavy lifting whilst interacting with a business. The problem is that not all businesses take the time to make …
Have you ever witnessed a fracas between a customer and a frontline employee? For those who have not had the experience, take it from me, it’s usually neither a pretty sight, nor a pretty sound. For those of us who have been unfortunate spectators, it brings out a lot of sighing and head shaking. Often, …
“Whenever a wild card becomes possible, the future planning playbook has to be rewritten.” This quote by Tamar Kasriel, a retail futurist, speaks volumes. She was commenting that futurists had regarded the pandemic as a “wild card.” That is, an occurrence that would have big, worldwide impact, but a highly improbable event. Well, the event …
Chuck Berry, the legendary rock and roll singer of the ‘80s once said; “never let the same dog bite you twice.” Yes, yes, I know that he is not a management guru, but we would do well to bear out the wisdom of his words. My application of Chuck’s words to the world of business, …