Customer Experience Is More Important Than Customer Service, period.
In their renowned book, The Experience Economy, the authors provide valuable insights into the direction of our economy. In the 1800s, our economy was driven by commodities such as cotton, water, oil, and steel. Following the industrial revolution in the early 1900s, manufacturing took over, leading to the production of clothing, cars, refrigerators, televisions, and radios. In recent years, as products have become increasingly commoditized, value has shifted towards services, like relaxing spas, trusted investment advice, and friendly dry cleaning. We have now entered a fourth revolution, which has largely gone unnoticed: the focus on customer experience.
Let me illustrate this with an example involving coffee. The theory suggests that each successive level adds 5-10 times more value. Coffee grounds might cost only a few cents. When packaged, that cost increases to around 20 cents. Brew it into a cup and sell it for about a dollar. Now, relax in a cozy chair at a place like Starbucks, enjoying a grande dark roast coffee for $4. What has changed? The step up in experience! The same logic applies to Coca-Cola; it’s presented differently depending on the location—served at the gate of the Nicon Noga or the Sheraton Hotel, inside the bar, or within the comfort of your room.
Researcher Lee echoes the authors’ observations: “Commodities are fungible, goods are tangible, services are intangible, and experiences are memorable.”
The key takeaway is that experiences are personal and individualized.
We need to shift our mindset from thinking of our business or workplace as merely providing a service or product to considering it as offering an experience. What kind of experience? As Lee describes, it should engage customers on emotional, physical, intellectual, and even spiritual levels. Ultimately, the quality, consistency, and essence of that experience could become the primary differentiator for your business or workplace. What can we do today to make a customer’s visit memorable?
A few excellent points on how to implement this new mindset include:
– Scripting experiences that go beyond mere words, creating a complete experience “scene by scene.”
– Hiring individuals based on their ability to engage customers rather than just qualifications for a job.
– Viewing each customer interaction as a performance.
Lights, camera, action! We are here to help create those memorable experiences.
Solutions
To enhance employee experience, delight, and satisfaction, we can support your workforce transformation. Dr. Mike Ihezuo is available to assist in partnership with Proctles Consulting. For more information, please contact us at https://www.proctles.com/.
