In today’s tight market, overwhelmed by inflation, only the most forward-thinking brands will be able to retain their customers and cultivate a sense of loyalty.
But modern consumers are a lot more difficult to convince as they have higher expectations. Due to the widespread use of social media, buyers today know that brands can do a lot better. And this has raised the bar for every business in the game.
Even more, CEOs who know what they’re doing are constantly pushing the limits of customer experience to new heights. So any business that wants a piece of the pie must find new ways to compete.
As consumers learn to expect more and look to spend less, brands must learn how to create the ideal customer experience that will help them stand out. The good news is that you can learn from the experience of others, which is exactly what we’ll do today.
The Key Principles of Stellar Customer Experience
Customer experience (CX) extends beyond just the product or service itself. It includes factors such as the ease of navigation on a website, the speed and clarity of communication, the level of customer support provided, and even physical interactions in brick-and-mortar stores.
A positive CX leaves the customer feeling valued with their expectations met or exceeded. But in order to get to this level, businesses must first understand the key principles that make CX work.
Here are some of the crucial ones:
- Understanding your customers’ needs – in the age of AI and Big Data, there is no excuse for not understanding your customers and the target audience’s wants and needs.
- Personalization – businesses can use customers’ previous interactions, purchase history, demographics, and more to provide a personalized experience that makes them feel valued and seen.
- Consistency in delivering quality experience – customers should receive the same level of service across different channels and touchpoints within a company. Consistency builds trust and confidence in the brand.
- Empathy and emotional connection – brands can show empathy toward customers’ concerns and build an emotional connection through positive interactions. In time, this leads to stronger brand loyalty.
- Seamless omnichannel experience – customers interact with your businesses through various channels (website, social media, phone calls, and so on), so providing a seamless experience across all touchpoints is essential.
Examples of CEOs Who Understand How CX Works
Good CX is highly dependent on a brand’s approach and overall vibe, so it can be difficult to wrap your head around the concept when you’re first starting. So, if you need some inspiration, here are some impressive examples of positive customer experiences made possible by ingenious CEOs and the teams behind them.
The TfL Customer Experience
London’s transportation system is one of the easiest to use in the world. Whether you’re a Londoner or a tourist, you just need a contactless card or an NFC-enabled device to make your way from one side of the town to the other.
Plus, if you’re traveling for business and need a receipt, the TfL receipt retrieval system makes it easy for you to get a digital copy of the document. You can then use it to back your expense claim.
Amazon Prime
According to Jeff Bezos, the main drive behind the Amazon brand is to serve the needs of its customers, even when the customers aren’t yet aware of those needs. This is how he came up with Amazon Prime as a premium membership that sped up the world of home deliveries.
Harley Davidson
What bike rider doesn’t dream about owning a Harley Davidson one day? The iconic bike is powerful, comfortable, and turns everyone’s eyes when you drive by.
But besides its imposing presence, a Harley Davidson provides its rider with something a lot more valuable. Owning one of these bikes makes you a Harley Davidson family member and puts you in touch with an exclusive community of riders from all over the world 9 check out the Harley Owners Group).
Chick-fil-A
While it’s true that Chick-fil-A may not be the first brand that comes to mind when it comes to fast-food chain success stories, there is something to learn in terms of CX. The brand still has customers who remain loyal only because the personnel is among the most polite you can find in the business.
Chick-fil-A employees are polite, friendly, and always have a pleasant demeanor (even for late-night drive-thru services). It’s a simple approach, but it shows that customers like to be treated nicely. And when you’re accustomed to a certain level of service, it’s difficult to go somewhere else where you may not feel as welcome.
Wrap Up
Whether it’s creating a friendly and polite environment or treating customers as family members, customer experience is all about making people feel good. But the key to a really positive experience is consistency in everything you do.
Customers learn to associate your brand with positive feelings when you’re consistent. And when this happens, you’ve earned their loyalty and trust.
