By CMA’s Integrated Marketing & Customer Experience Council

January 22, 2009

Delivering a positive customer experience is more important than ever in these strained economic times. It is a key component of the overall marketing mix and yet many marketers often don’t follow through and consider this critical step in the success of their marketing efforts.

The groundwork of good (or bad) customer experience is the same regardless of the sector – retail, financial, service, B2B or B2C. So, what does good customer experience look like from the viewpoint of actual customers? Have consumers’ expectations changed regarding customer experience? And what one suggestion would consumers make to improve the customer experience?

The CMA’s Integrated Marketing and Customer Experience Council hit the streets of downtown Toronto (on a cold and blustery day in October 2008) to ask these questions of a cross-section of consumers to get a temperature check about what they are looking for from their ‘customer experience’.

What does good customer experience look like to you?

Overall, three themes emerged: a respect for the customer; a hassle-free experience; and, effective problem resolution. Nothing startling here, but as owners of the customer experience, are marketers taking the time to address the basics or wrongly assuming that these simple principles are automatically being adhered to?

Quantitatively speaking, most comments focused on being treated properly as a customer – which means being treated with respect. Customers feel they’ve earned your respect by choosing you as their destination. What they’re asking for isn’t over the top but rather common courtesy actions such as “greeting me with a smile or a friendly hello” and “caring about my situation and my purchase – whether big or small.”

Consumers want a hassle-free and convenient experience. They want staff to be “knowledgeable about your products and services”. Taking some time to understand their needs and offer products that match those needs instills trust and loyalty. Also important is recognizing them if they are a repeat customer and then ensuring they have a “consistent and positive experience by knowing who I am and my preferences.”

Not surprisingly, many consumers expressed frustration over ineffective problem resolution. Good customer experience means being there not just for the sale, but being accessible when something goes wrong as well. Empowering staff with the authority, autonomy and knowledge to resolve problems for their customers is seen as key to a positive experience.

Have your expectations about customer experience changed? How and Why?

Overall consumers do expect customer service to improve but the majority have not seen such an improvement over the past number of years. A third of the respondents indicated that they do expect better service; however half believe service levels have dropped.

With the growth of data collection and multiple access points (in-store, phone, Internet), customers feel that “companies should know more about them and be able to tailor messages, products and services to their specific needs.” They are expecting a much more personalized experience than what they are getting.

Training was a recurring theme as well – or the lack thereof. While the consumer is more educated than before, they don’t feel the same is true of front-line representatives. Consumers are “relying more on other consumers through opinions expressed through blogs”. At the same time, some respondents noted their distaste for technology when it comes to IVRs that take “too long to get through or the complications faced when trying to contact a ‘live’ person.”

What is the one suggestion you would make to improve customer experience?

The answers provided to this question were both consistent and simple. Four key themes emerged:

1. Back to basics. Remember those ‘good manners’ that your mother tried to teach you? Guess what? First and foremost, that’s what consumers are looking for. The notions of: a friendly face, a smile, courteous greetings, someone who wants to be there and help, all emerged. “Care about the customer, communicate with them, listen to them, be calm and pleasant. A ‘happy’ person can make a customer feel great.” On a similar theme: “Remember…it’s about the customer – not you. Treat others the way you want to be treated yourself.”
2. Do what you know and know what you do. Knowledge and training are key. If your front line (or on-line or phone) staff aren’t totally informed about the product or service they are selling, how are they going to help the consumer make an informed decision? And the challenge today is, consumers are more informed than ever. They’ve done their research and the comparisons. And while their half of the job is done, their actual experience can be ruined by a lack of knowledge from your staff. “Stick to what you’re good at and don’t lose sight of your original purpose by getting into too many other businesses and diluting your expertise…” and “…training and quality monitoring needs to be on-going” as well as recognition that customer call recordings can be great tools “for training and to improve customer experience overall”.
3. Know me. Remember me. Despite all the technological advances and the ability to buy via in-store, phone or Internet, people still want (and sometimes demand) a personal connection. Knowing me is demonstrated when you “don’t ask me for the same information twice” and “remember me the next time I make a purchase”.
4. Problem resolution. A huge component of a customer’s experience is tied to effective problem solving. Research will often describe problem resolution as a key ‘moment of truth’ because it’s when customers are most vulnerable and is therefore a ‘make-it or break-it’ moment. If your company’s problem resolution approach includes layers-upon-layers of escalation to resolve a problem you’ve likely got it wrong. Organizations that “…empower the first point of contact to resolve issues…” will get the repeat business. Oh, and one more thing – the occasional unexpected perk or offer as a ‘thank-you’ will go a long way.

In summary, during a time when consumers are gravitating back towards the basics, it is perhaps an opportune time for companies to do the same. Providing a positive customer experience is essentially table stakes when it comes to competing for customer loyalty. As marketers, we have an important role to play in helping to ensure that the customer experience is positive. Clear communication, participating in quality training, providing information for quick and effective problem resolution and ongoing contact with your front-line service providers will ensure that the customer experience is not only good to start with but improves as consumer expectations become more demanding. It all comes down to listening to and then acting upon what your customers are saying. The first step is to hear them – are you listening?