 
Creating the right experience
To succeed in business
you need profitable customers who will stay with you for a long time. That
means you have to create for your customers the kind of experience that
will make them
want to:
1. Start to do business with you.
2. Pay the prices you need to charge to be profitable.
3. Keep doing business with you.
4. Buy some of your other products and services.
5. Tell others just how great you are.
Unfortunately, research from around the world shows we don’t do that.
In Britain, only 13% of companies were rated by their customers as providing
excellent service. In the UK and USA, one study showed that over all 50% of
consumers switch at least one major supplier every year simply because of bad
service. Each year , 19% of retail customers go in search of new places to shop.
A New Zealand study found 42% of Kiwis change suppliers every year. Each tells
13 other people about their bad experience and 25% of those who switch say they
will never do business with that company again.
We like to think that we are getting better every year but 67% of British
consumers say that customer service has not improved in the past 5 years. In
the NZ survey, a 14% of retail customers think service is getting worse.
There is a huge gap between what customers want and companies offer. A study
by IBM suggests customers want fast and friendly service. In a recent NZ survey
on customer service, one Kiwi was quoted as saying, “You can understand
how people become violent!”
The IBM study also revealed people want to deal with knowledgeable staff.
In a study last year, over 80% of the people I interviewed rated staff product
and service knowledge as poor or only fair.
The IBM study indicated that people would like personalised service. In a
recent road show for a New Zealand-wide company, I asked some of their customers
how they would like to be treated by their suppliers. Then I asked them how
often their suppliers ask them that question. The answer? Never! Now, how can
you personalise the customer’s experience if you don’t know how
they want to be treated?
The good news is that each of these shortcomings is an opportunity for you
to get a competitive advantage. Make sure your product knowledge is first class
and that you understand your company’s systems. Know who’s who in
your organisation so you can refer people on if needs be. Spend time asking
your customers questions so that you can deliver the kind of service that each
is looking for.
Be fast and easy to do business with. Review your processes and procedures
to see how they could be made simpler and shorter so that things happen more
quickly. Don’t make your customers jump through unnecessary hoops or experience
delays.
And most importantly, have a positive and enthusiastic can-do attitude. Make
sure that every time your customers come in contact with you, they enjoy the
experience and want to come back.
Remember, your customers are not just important to your business; they are
your business. After all, 100% of your profits come from your customers!
Ian Brooks
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