Fast, Cheap, Luxury, Quality, Customer Service, User Friendly
I was recently listening to a YouTube video by Patrick David in which he explains how if you paid attention to where you spend your money throughout the year you will realize the businesses you interact with can be categorized into 1 of 6 categories. For example, if you continually find yourself going to a take-out restaurant near your house you might realize that the reason you go so much is that it is convenient. If you typically stay at a chain hotel for holidays, it might be because it feels like a luxury experience. Dealing with market research online communities or experience management platforms we want our clients to understand which of the six categories they fit into, in order to understand where they are and begin mastering their category and improve their customer experience.
Patrick explains how Nordstrom’s department store in the United States is a great example of customer service. If you come into the store and don’t have a receipt but would like to return an item, they will accommodate you. Whereas if you were to go to another store and return an item, it would be very transactional. "Do you have the product? please give me the receipt. I need to refund the money on the card that you used for the purchase of the item. If you don’t have that exact card, we cannot refund the money." One story told at a recent Nordstrom’s annual meeting describes the store's commitment to customer service. The cleaning staff at Nordstrom's found a woman’s bag that she had forgotten at the store. The bag had a flight itinerary which was scheduled to leave shortly. Realizing that the shopper was probably in a rush before heading to the airport they took it upon themselves to fix the situation. After being unable to reach the customer on the photo ID the staff drove to the airport, and when arriving at the airport had the woman paged and returned her bag to her. Needless to say, the woman was eternally grateful.
While you may be a company that is fast, or cheap, or luxurious, the goal should always be to create VIP experiences. VIP experiences are helping your customers feel special, and that they are more than a random customer but a person that the company knows and values. These experiences convert customers into loyal customers and these loyal customers become your best advertisers. Think about the woman who left her bag at Nordstrom, and how deeply impacted she was by the staff member going the extra mile. That woman will probably shop at Nordstrom’s for the rest of her life. Then think about how many people she will tell that day, that week, that year, and how many other people will retell her story.
By using a customer experience management platform, you can invite customers to participate in research to let them know that their opinion matters, and then reward them for their time using the points rewards section of the software. Whether your company focuses on luxury, convenience, quality or another aspect, you can improve your company by focusing on your customers and providing a wonderful experience and by moving them from satisfied customers to VIP and ensure their loyalty for years to come.
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