Regardless of the industry, all businesses face competition of one sort or another. You might be tempted to think that you have no direct peers if you own a unique business in the area—like if you have your town’s only movie theater—but that’s a superficial distinction. You’re still competing for your customers’ attention and dollars with all other pastimes, such as going to the park, attending karaoke night at the bar, or just staying home and watching something on Netflix.
Like all resources, your customers’ time is limited. If your company is unable to offer something unique, something that will continually draw their attention, then visiting your business isn’t going to feel special. It would just be another thing to do on an already boring list.
Consider the age-old dilemma that many groups of friends face when trying to decide on where to go for dinner. How often does it devolve into everyone basically saying that they don’t have a preference, and that someone else should decide. There was even a smartphone app dedicated to this problem some thirteen years ago. It would literally select a place for you to dine at random.
And while there is no such app for randomly choosing where to do other activities, like shopping for shoes, test driving a car, or buying a luxury watch, the same lack of enthusiasm for any particular store remains a concern. A customer might simply know they want a pair of Nikes, or a Toyota, or a Rolex, and where they buy that product is otherwise unimportant to them.
That’s a problem for a small-business owner. When customers have no particular loyalty, they will often revert to shopping solely on who’s got it cheapest or who can get it quickest. Usually, the answer to that question will be a big-box store with the margins to be cutthroat and a massive supply chain. But there is a potential advantage your business can wield, an advantage that will win the loyalty of your customers so that they when they decide they need something, they’re not ambivalent about where they get it.
Naturally, we’re talking about the Customer Experience (CX), the combination of customer service, convenience, and product quality that differentiates your business from the rest. We already know that most consumers will pay extra for a better experience rather than a faceless, generic one—or worse, a place that relies on some gimmick to stand out from the crowd. Don’t be forgettable or lame.
Your standout distinction should be your CX. If you own a restaurant, then your patrons should think of you when they don’t want to cook dinner at home, like their second dining room. If you operate a car dealership, then people should associate you with an experience that makes car-buying a joy rather than a pain. If you run a retail business, then your customers should know that when they buy from you, they’re going to be well taken care of by your staff.
Let’s be honest here: the CX is a long-term investment, one that requires a dedication to a solid company culture, empowered and well-trained employees, and an uncompromising commitment to always get better at what you do, day-in and day-out. The best way to facilitate these goals is with a service like mystery shopping.
We at The Brandt Group strive to provide our clients with real-world, actionable feedback that will allow you to monitor how your sales and service initiatives are working. Our reports will give your team the information it needs to improve, to continually push the envelope on what defines a superior customer experience. This information will allow your business to avoid being samey or gimmicky.
Drop us a line, and together, let’s figure out how to make your business stand out from—and above—the rest.
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