Customer Experience is Bottom-line Marketing.
A GENTLEMAN WALKED INTO A FURNITURE STORE AND NOTICED THAT THE LADY AT THE FRONT DESK WAS STARING. HE APPROACHED HER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY WHIPPING OUT A BUSINESS CARD FROM HIS INNER SUIT POCKET. THE GIRL, SLIGHTLY OLDER BUT WITH A SMILE THAT LIT UP THE ROOM, BEGAN TO LOOK OFF AS IF SHE DIDN’T FORSEE HIS PRESENCE. HE CONTINUED, WITH PURE CONFIDENCE HE SAT ON THE DESK AND SMILED BACK AT THE BRUNETTE. SHE LOOKED BACK AT HIM AND THEY LOCKED EYES. AS SHE BIT HER LIP, HE SLID THE BUSINESS CARD IN FRONT OF HER. IT SAID, “ONE TIME OFFER, DATE WITH THE HANDSOME MAN WHO SHARED THIS CARD.”
SHE GIGGLED, LOOKED UP, AND STATED “I CAN CLOCK OUT EARLY AND GO OUT NOW.”
THE MAN IMMEDIATELY STOOD BACK IN DISGUST AND POINTED TO THE CUSTOMER IN THE CORNER OF THE FURNITURE STORE. HE SAID, “IF YOU CAN’T PROVIDE SIMPLE SUPPORT OR TIME TO YOUR CUSTOMERS, WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM YOU IN A RELATIONSHIP?”
HE WALKED OFF AND SO DID THE OTHER CUSTOMER. SHE NOT ONLY LOST HER CHANCE BUT ALSO LOST A POTENTIAL SALE. DON’T BE THE BRUNETTE AT THE FURNITURE STORE, FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMERS NOT THE SHINY OBJECTS YOU THINK IS THE SOLUTION.
Customer Experience surprisingly starts and ends with the customer. The Customer Experience (CX) Journey is the cumulation of all touch points that the customer has with the brand. It can be broken down into various components, but really gets split into three categories.
The first category is where the customer starts out as a prospect. They have either little or no knowledge of the brand. The brand’s goal is to educated and build trust with the prospect. The output from the brand needs to be educational material that clarifies the prospects interests and needs. By doing this the prospect will start to gain clarity and reach a point of wondering “now what”. Now that the client is in a mindset where they want to know how, you give it to them. Give them the resources that they can learn from to do it themselves. A self educated prospect makes the best lead. You might ask why give them the secret sauce if that is your role as a brand? I like to bring up a simple variable called time. Time is going to be their final pain point that will bring them from prospect to the second category, a lead. They don’t have time to do it themselves, so now what?
“What is better then a lead,” Bob says.
Well, it’s a qualified one. The reason we bring them on an experience is to see if they are a qualified fit for the brand. It is a mutual relationship where both parties benefit from doing business. Luckily, we brought the prospect through various trials and tribulations before becoming a lead. If they made it to the “I don’t have time phase” we have ourselves a very qualified lead.
Now, how can we make an exchange, call it a deal, move the dice, and become a client? Simple. We take all the hard work the prospect did and use that as ammo for the sale. We will move them into our sales pipeline, the goal is to make them aware of the shifts that occurred when they were a prospect and to dive into the specifics of what being a client looks like. What is your current situation? Where are you looking to go? Paint the picture. The lead and the brand will come together to craft a game plan that moves the lead from Point A to Point B. If both parties agree on the game plan, only then can payment and onboarding as a client will begin.
The final category for the CX Journey is a client. Clients are awesome, because they are invested and ready to go. Marketing unfortunately doesn’t slow down, but instead ramps up. It is the brands obligation to not only fulfill the agreement, but to do so with class. It needs to be seamless and memorable. The little moments add up and really shine for the customer’s experience. Client retention is more important than client acquisition. We want raving fans that will spread the word on the brand’s services and offers. It is an amazing feeling when the client can get on-boarded effortlessly, supported fully, brought to fulfillment gracefully, and to become a messenger for the brand.
Customer experience is about enhancing the overall journey the customer ventures on from prospect to lead to client. It is all about those individual touch points that the small moments can build to create an unforgettable experience. I empower you with this new knowledge to frame your Customer Experience Journey in a similar fashion and leave an impact! Make a statement! Don’t forget, to not be the brunette at the furniture store ;)