Everyone knows that, by nature, consumers are unfaithful. Always seeking better offers and not hesitating to pit competitors against each other, consumers have always been difficult to attract and retain.
The winning duo of price and product is challenged by the increasingly prominent role of the customer in strategy. Companies are trying, with varying success, to impress them through memorable customer experiences. It is often observed that the results are rarely conclusive. As a consequence, in the same market, customer experiences tend to be almost identical.So, what are the ways for a company to stand out in terms of customer experience?
By adopting what Forrester Research (an American company that provides market research) calls the Experience-Based Differentiation (EBD) model, it means transforming the customer experience into a genuine lever for differentiation in the market.
Customer needs must become a true obsession
Rather than rushing to market a new version of an offer, companies should refocus on their customers' core needs, which may even involve wanting fewer features and attributes in what they purchase.
Companies tend to invest in sophisticated software to analyze customer needs, but these tools often cannot capture the diversity of tastes and human needs. It is essential to incorporate data processing using more traditional methods that analyze consumer behavior. These methods range from simple communication techniques such as Focus Groups to observing behaviors and lived experiences. These insights must be widely shared across the organization so that everyone can be aware of what the customer truly desires.
Strengthen the brand with every interaction
The messages conveyed by brands through traditional methods are losing their influence on consumers. Efforts put into promoting brand image must go beyond mere marketing communications. It is necessary to clearly articulate the brand's attributes and values :
- During the information search stage,
- During the options evaluation stage,
- At the purchase decision stage and during post-purchase analysis.
Information provided by a customer service representative must be consistent with what is available on the website. If a marketing campaign for a phone offer highlights unlimited data, this attribute must be :
- Included in the service offer,
- Communicated transparently by customer service representatives,
- Visible on the website, social media, and displayed in stores.
Treat Customer Experience as a company-wide competency rather than just a function
Offering an exceptional customer experience cannot be achieved by a small group of individuals alone. The engagement of everyone in the company is essential. It is a team activity where leadership and their team must be fully committed.
To stay customer-centric, the company must adopt a systematic and continuous approach to incorporate the customer’s voice into all its efforts. That’s why implementing a Voice of the Customer program is recommended. Inspired by Lean Management, this program aims to materialize customer needs at every level of the organization. It collects, analyzes, and shares all customer feedback (expectations, preferences, pain points) related to the company.
What makes the difference in customer experience
For companies, there are three major and essential concerns of customers :
- Trust in the brand : the fact that it fulfills its commitments throughout the purchase journey,
- The expertise and efficiency of salespeople or customer service, as they embody the brand and must demonstrate its superiority every day,
- The emotional dimension of the customer journey.
One of the largest American e-commerce sites generates over one billion dollars in annual sales and employs nearly 1,500 staff members. It is undoubtedly a leader in customer experience. The company makes transparency a core principle to rebuild trust between management and employees. This is considered a fundamental foundation to foster employee engagement, which notably involves better sharing of information across the entire team.
To maximize the benefits of the customer experience, it is essential to disseminate the voice of the customer at all levels of the organization, from top management to daily briefings of field teams in contact with customers.
This approach is exemplified by a major French retail chain specializing in home improvement, which dedicates a few minutes at the start of each executive committee meeting (CODIR) to share customer verbatims or complaints. The goal is to work with the team on an action plan and to involve everyone in continuous improvement efforts.
In conclusion
Customer experience is now regarded as the most powerful growth lever for the coming years. Companies that focus their efforts and invest long-term in this area ensure customer loyalty and boost their revenue and profits. Customer experience even surpasses price and product as a key differentiator for brands.
To make the customer experience a true business model, it is essential to establish a long-term business partnership with the customer. This requires a cultural shift, which may be the most challenging change to implement. All entities within the organization must feel they are part of this transformation. Individuals need support and guidance to facilitate the adoption of this new customer-centric culture.
Its straightforward nature makes it easy to implement, as it only requires a few changes in mindset and practices for everyone. These changes have an impact both internally and in interactions with customers.
If the company fails to align radically with the consumer in today’s market, competitors will not hesitate to take its customers and offer a better experience !
