Make a First Impression Customer Experience

The struggle is real - it's all about the customer experience, not their satisfaction.  That is so 90's!  It's been a long-held adage that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression."  No, it's not only for those seeking a job.  It's for those seeking customers to keep their business afloat.  The minute you start your journey with a brand, you, the customer, can tell the ones who care from the ones who don't.  Those who care also have bigger bottom-line's than those who don't care.  Now, through all of the customers assorted favorite social media platforms into the mix, and whoa!  You've either got devastation, or you're skyrocketing in new customers.  Which do you want to be? 

“Customer Experience” or CX, is simply how your customers perceive they are being treated while interacting with your business.  It could be on the phone, on-line, in person; was your staff pleasant, knowledgeable, did they even care about the customer and what they were looking to purchase? This is all a part of the customer journey. Listening is a great place to start when creating a model for the experience you envision within your business.  I'm not simply talking about comment cards at the checkout, or surveys on the register receipt. If you're really taking the move to CX seriously, you could have a customer appreciation day, or a focus group.  Statistics from the Aberdeen Group show companies "retain an average of 89% of their customers just by giving them their undivided attention.  Those who did not only retained about 33%."

Collaboration is key within businesses wanting to increase their bottom-line via providing amazing CX. Often times the company as inter-departmental competitions when it comes to the "numbers" that they forget about the bottom-line.  Customers want consistency.  Analysts with Accenture found that "89% of customers found it frustrating when asked to express their concerns to multiple departments or representatives.  87% felt businesses needed to invest in creating a more consistent customer experience."

Given all that we've mentioned, here are some ideas we hope you'll think about implementing:
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Look for those employees that make you feel good when interviewing them.  Give them a scenario to role play with you.  Are they trainable?  Maybe "test-drive" them on your sales floor for an afternoon.  You may even gain some new customers if they're the right fit!

Get every one, in every department on the same page: consistency will be key in developing your CX plan.  Map out your current processes/policies and see if and where changes need to be made.  No one, gets special exemptions.  Make sure rewards are included in the processes.  Nothing extravagant, just enough to say, "Great job!" More importantly, don't go overboard in your CX plan; you could be setting yourself up for failure.  

Ensure your CRM is up to par with all of your new data collection points.  You want to be able to actually use the data, not just collect it.  What good will that do you? As they say, "inspect what you expect."

Create a CX team for the sole purpose of ensuring consistent, positive improvement. Catch the good and bad in time to make changes on the dime, as they say.
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Zen-desk states that "83% of customers go to a company’s website for information, but 56% will go to a competitor if it encounters issues."
 
Think about when you are ready to make a large purchase and your single point of contact is pushy or treats you like just another person, not listening to what you are needing.  Now imagine your single point of contact who treats you like his/her bestie, tending and listening to all your needs? That is what an amazing CX journey through your brand/business should feel like to everyone who enters it.

​This is where we come in. With our customized business-building workshops and creative strategic plans, we help you stand out, turn your customers into loyal fans, and make more money.  Use this form If you would like to schedule a time to speak with Carrie on how she can increase your bottom-line by redefining your visibility and up-leveling the value-added Customer Experience you provide.

Don't forget to check out our FREE Checklist for the Ways to Boost Your Revenue

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