Why bother to get to KNOW your customers?
In the past, service providers were in a position of authority. Customers who needed information and help regarding services or products would turn to the service provider for assistance.
Today, the power has shifted; customers are in the driver's seat. We can all feel it, being customers ourselves.
In this reality, there's an inherent gap between the empowered, knowledgeable customer and the organizations they interact with.
Mind the gap
Closing this gap is the key challenge for satisfying customers and delivering great customer experience.
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." -- Warren Buffett
The race is on!
Most companies compete on the basis of customer experience. In order to win, they embark on several different initiatives. Focusing on connecting individual touchpoints to form a complete view of the multi-channel journey is a good start. However, linking these insights to customer sentiment, pinpointing root causes, prioritizing initiatives, and driving changes through rapid analytics is a true game-changer.
Get to KNOW your customer
To get closer to your customers, you need to get to know them: their preferences, their needs, and what they expect from you at every step of their journey.
While logistical necessities are must-haves, personal touches are differentiators. Customers value the human touch… regardless of geography, gender or industry. A little simple kindness and helpfulness goes a long way.
Remember... It's only when you get closer that you can actually impact the experience.