When it comes to the customer experience, one of the biggest questions you must ask yourself is whether you’re aiming to offer a different experience or a better one. The two options might seem to go hand-in-hand, but they can lead your business down very different paths, so you should consider the question carefully. Why? Because when your customer experience is too different, you risk alienating your customers, whereas a focus on being better than everyone else can overspend your resources. The challenge is striking a balance.
Different Versus Better
Being different can be as simple as putting your own twist on common practices. Truthfully, this is a relatively easy goal because there are plenty of ways to make subtle changes that will set your business apart, like unique branding and creative customer interactions. However, if you push your business too far towards being different for the sake of simply being different, these changes may only serve to confuse customers and disrupt their experience. You should always ask yourself whether your ideas actually bring any kind of added value before implementing them.
On the other hand, offering a better experience is actually harder to execute because it means taking established practices and finding ways to do them that exceeds expectations. This can require significant attention to detail and resource management, so tread carefully. If you push too hard to outperform your competition, you might burn through your time, energy, and your finances.
Striking a Balance
So, how do you strike the kind of balance where your customer experience is both personalized to your business and also great? Shep Hyken, a well-known customer experience expert, suggests focusing your efforts on consistency first. In his words, “Delivering a better customer experience is a simple as consistently meeting customers’ expectations.” It’s not about reinventing the wheel for every aspect of your sales and customer service processes; instead, make sure your customers can rely on your service being solid and predictable, with just the right amount of personalization. A small, thoughtful touch—the kind that doesn’t require you to completely overhaul everything about your business—can make your experience both better and different, all while not alienating your customers or overextending your resources.
Test, Retest, and Test Some More
You can’t just figure out this balance on paper. You have to implement and test it, and keep testing it to ensure that customers remain delighted with the experience your business offers. We at The Brandt Group can help. By using our mystery shopping services, as well as by taking advantage of our feedback surveys and leadership training courses, you can evaluate your sales and customer service processes, glean valuable insights into how consistent and effective your execution is, and guarantee your employees are well trained. Let us help you forge a customer experience that is not only different but also better. Contact us today!
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