Walk a step in your customer’s shoes. How do they feel? Too big, too tight or just right?
A little big, too tight or just right? Make sure you know how your customer's shoes fit.
Have you ever put on your customer’s shoes? How does it feel to be a customer of your organization? Good, bad or ugly… it’s a vital exercise in the journey of becoming a customer centric organization. As Jan Carlzon, former CEO of Scandinavian Airlines, said, ” Any time a customer comes into contact with any aspect of your business – however remote – they have an opportunity to form an impression.”
The first step is taking the time to map out the touch points customers have with your organization? Touchpoints are any time your organization directly interacts with a potential, existing or former customer.
At what points in your relationship with the customer do you create memorable experiences? Do you delight them at each touch point or disappoint them, creating a negative memory they associate with your organization.
I challenge you to undertake this exercise.
Granted, if this is one of your organization’s first exercises in customer centricity, it can be a lot to bite off as an initial step. I suggest walking before you run … choose one area of your business. Preferably a customer facing piece of the organization. The contact centre is a great place to start.
Start by identifying the direct interaction points your customer has with the contact centre. Among many things, these points are likely to include
- the structure of your IVR
- the experience while on hold waiting to have a call answered
- the existence or lack of self-service tools
- the interaction with an agent
- how the reason for calling was resolved
These are all customer interaction points or opportunities to build evangelists, passives or detractors.
Once you’ve identified the interaction points, take off your business hat and replace it with your customer hat. Call into your contact centre, email or initiate a chat inquiry with a customer’s perspective and objectively evaluate what your customer experiences.
Is the experience creating evangelists, passives or detractors?
The answer can be a real eye opener!
