Why developing a customer service & experience mindset is just as important as your end product.
Forbes contributor Chris Cancialosi recently posted an article about why Customer Experience is so important, even for small businesses. He shares an anecdote about dreading an upcoming trip to Disney World with his family, but after the trip was over, he had changed his mindset. Disney Parks are a well-oiled machine designed to make every visit as perfect as possible, from wristbands to apps, ride passes and the overall attitude and demeanor of their staff (or "cast members", as they prefer). He was so impressed with the experience that it changed his outlook on the company as a whole.
When we talk about "customer experience", there are two definitions people tend to think of. The first is in-person interaction like the example above, usually in regard to retail or interactive businesses. The second would be more accurately described as UI or user interface - how we interact with a business's presence online, on their website or on mobile. Both of these are a part of customer experience (CX), to be sure, but a true CX approach goes well beyond in-person and online interaction, and into every facet of your business.
"The performance benefits of improving CX make it hard to ignore. From increasing customer engagement, trust, and likeliness to forgive a brand for making a mistake, to improving voluntary compliance to requests, CX has been shown to make the delivery of services more cost-effective."
The Who and How of Your Customers
The most important step of improving your CX is knowing who your customers are and how they interact with your business. Even if most of your business isn't done face-to-face, customer service and support are vital parts of CX. Put yourself in the mindset of your customers, and try to evaluate the ways in which they would approach your business, and how to improve them. Whether that's changing up your phone scripts, revamping a website, or redesigning your brand identity from the ground up, you want build loyalty, recognition and respect with your customers by tailoring their experience. Even internal marketing and materials can be a part of a CX approach, making sure that your employees and internal contacts are a part of the overall conversation.