The Customer Experience PREPARED BY ERIC EIDE FOR THE CASCADE CHAPTER OF THE SCTE APRIL 19, 2011
Introduction Eric Eide 12 years in the industry Manager of Learning and Development Comcast Cable
Agenda Define what a customer experience is. Explain the process of the customer experience. How we create a positive customer experience. What prevents us from providing a great customer experience. Case Study Summary
The Customer Experience In sales and service organizations, value is created when an employee interacts with a customer. Indeed, the employee-customer encounter is the factory floor of sales and services Profit is created at the sale, value and longevity are created by the customer- employee interaction
The Customer Experience Defined The memory created by an interaction between consumer and supplier. Good customer experience is a positive memory of the interaction. Bad customer experience is a negative memory of the interaction.
The Process of the Customer Experience Expectation Interaction Reflection
Expectation Research shows that a customer s associations with a brand is built during the process of dealing with a company: Expectation is linked to what the person has heard and perceives about the company or brand.
Interaction Interaction: The act of dealing with and experiencing the brand to include emotions and attitudes that the interaction evokes.
Reflection Reflection: The critical cognitive process that creates a memory of the experience. Consumers often adapt all inclusive views of sectors. Where do we focus our customer experience efforts?
The Process in Action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whwavua-1fi
Bonding There are two methods customers use to bond to a brand. The first is called a functional bond: What customers expect and experience of the operational aspects of the product or service.
Examples of Functional Bonding 99.99 Reliability Service Level Agreements First Call Resolution One Bill Product Bundling
The Results of Functional Bonding The results of functional bonding are economic in nature. Each customer is provided a choice of bundles and they will choice the bundle that maximizes their utility within a budget constraint.
The Results of Functional Bonding Functional bonding is elastic. Customers can and will move to another brand that better maximizes their utility within their budget.
The Results of Functional Bonding By nature, functional bonding is based on the principle of utility. Customers need the product to accomplish a task. There is not any satisfaction other then the accomplishment of a task required to keep the product. If the task is removed, so is the product.
Emotional Bonding How the customer is made to feel by the experience of using the product and the interaction with the brand. Research Fact: In the Ogilvy One world wide study of 28,000 brands: those companies that were able to create both functional and emotional bonds had an 84% higher retention rate and an 82% higher cross and up sell ratio then those brands who only created a functional bond.
How do you create an emotional bond? Expectation Interaction Reflection
Emotional Bonds The reflection stage of the interaction is acknowledgement of met (or not met) expectations. To meet or exceed expectations we have to know what they are!
Great Expectations Research show that the number one factor in an average or bad customer experience rating is that the customer did not feel that they were treated uniquely through the interaction. Uniquely; adj: Special; different from others in a way that makes somebody or something special and worthy of note.
Barriers to a Positive Customer Experience Is their problem unique? Is their question unique? Is your action unique? Are they a unique person?
Assumptions are our Shields Your expertise is already assumed by the customer. Your assumptions of the customer s desired result is your shield of expertise. Assumptions stifle dialogue. Without dialogue you are assuming the customers expectations. You will be wrong more then you will be right!
What can we do? Put down your shield. Always speak in the first person. Avoid using pro nouns as deflections. They didn t fix you problem the right way last time We don t know why this happened I m sorry he treated you that way
What can we do? Understand the customer s expectation. Verify you met or exceeded their expectation. Engage the customer and ask questions. Relate to their frustration.
Emotional Bonding Example Emotional bonding can occur after years of only functional bonds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gkq9ktnsg4
Summary The process of the customer experience. Positive reflections come from understood expectations. Find the emotional bond. Remember its never too late!