Apple product launches have become highly anticipated events. Of course this is due primarily to the products themselves, and eager customers wanting to confirm all of the rumors leading up to the launch. However, the style in which Apple announces its new products is equally as appealing. Would we all be so interested if Tim Cook stood in front of the world with a PowerPoint slide that detailed all of the new product features? I don’t think so. The power of an Apple release can also be attributed to the style of the presentation.
The takeaway here for CX professionals is the way in which we tell the customer experience story can be just as important as the story itself. It is much harder to motivate people to take action if they don’t understand what they should be doing or if they don’t believe in the recommendations we are making. Effective storytelling is an important tool in the arsenal of a CX professional. Here are a few tips:
- Consider your audience: Put yourself in the shoes of the audience you are presenting to. Think about how they will receive the information as opposed to only thinking about all of the data you want to share with them. Understanding your audience’s frame of reference will allow you to tailor your messages in a way that will make your message more relevant and compelling.
- Don’t share data, tell stories: Resist the urge to stand in front of a group sharing slide after slide of customer survey data. Often times these presentations are not memorable. Rather, consider telling customer stories. For example, if your company has a problem with customer service issue resolution, share a real-life example of a customer journey through the issue resolution process to illustrate the areas of the process that need fixed. This can be more effective than sharing statistics.
- Keep it simple: One of the biggest barriers to getting people to take action is getting people to understand what the action should be. When sharing customer insights within your organization, keep the messages simple. CX teams should focus on making it easy for groups within the company to understand what action needs to be taken. Be concise in your messaging and use graphics that are compelling and easy to understand.
