To provide a distinctive experience for customers, an organization must work together around the goal of meeting their true needs. Done well, the effort can power an incredible amount of innovation.
The customer experience an organization wants to provide can vary widely. For some, this transformation represents a big step, for others; that might require only modest changes. Either way the aspiration will translate into an overall mission and ultimately, into guiding principles for frontline behavior.
Understanding the fundamental wants and needs of customers must be a step in determining what a great experience for them should look like. Understanding and addressing customer needs effectively is a key reason why successful start-ups disrupt industries in today’s more centric customer-centric marketplace (i.e. Uber, Airbnb, among others!)
It is vital to define an aspiration centered in what matters to customers and in how it affects your business. Sometimes what we think matters to customers is not entirely accurate, and sometimes we are at risk of being pulled into aspects of our operations that do not really matter to them.
A good way to identify what really matters to them is by understanding their journeys. Although gathering and segmenting data are classic points in understanding customers, it is not enough! There are different approaches to understand customers, like the well-known Compass Model drawn by Disney. The points of the compass help an organization to plan a customer satisfaction program by identifying emotional mind-sets, wishes and needs:
North: Needs, or what the customers desire from the experience. The pain they need to be relieved of. Some needs and pains are stated, but it is important to understand that many are not.
West: Wants, the underlying objective and purpose of customers, stated, unstated, or perhaps not even fully recognized by them.
South: Stereotypes, or preconceived notions, positive or negative that customers have.
East: Emotions that customers have or are likely to experience.
Organizations can bring the customer’s perspective into focus through something as simple as these four points. This approach also helps employees align their perspectives with a customer experience program and connect much more effectively with customers. Of course, it can also be used to better understand and ultimately support the frontlines: The people who have the highest likelihood to make a direct impact in customer experience.
If you know the answer to the next questions, probably you are on the way to deliver great customer experiences!
How high is your Customer Experience (CX) aspiration?
What is your Customer Experience (CX) Commitment Index?
What is your CX maturity? If you have a subscription, activate this instrument to see where you are.
Remember that all our instruments will help you to identify what really matters by giving you a set of actions to cross the bridge to enhancement.
