Sometimes I read things and I just want to scream!
Recently, I was browsing some of my regular reading sources when I came across this:
Here’s a quote from the report
“Understanding that emotion – the human connection – is at the heart of the customer experience is key to building customer loyalty and advocacy in today’s socially-connected and ever-evolving world,” said Sharon Daniels, CEO of AchieveGlobal. “While slashed prices and special promotions may get consumers in the door, an inability to connect on an emotional and human level while delivering service will hamper any business’ customer engagement efforts.”
You can check out the full report (Why Your Customers Stay or Stray: Insight From Global Customer Experience Research) here.
Maybe it was the mood I was in ……….but……..
Why do we need to commission research to tell us what should be obvious to us as business professionals, entrepreneurs and human beings?
At what point have we become so disengaged with our own existence that we commission research to tell us that emotions amongst people and the way we are treated is important?
I mean, imagine calling into or visiting a business and being treated really badly or just coldly.
You might get what you want but how would that experience make you feel?
Would it be a good experience?
Would you feel slightly rough treated?
Abused, perhaps?
Would availability or a low price make you feel any better?
It might.
But, I’m pretty sure it would only go so far.
So, what is the point of this research?
Is it that we are like ‘rabbits in headlights’……too caught up in the fast pace of changing technology and customer preferences, too many meetings, too much fear about doing the wrong thing, making the wrong decision, management by committee, email overload etc etc that we have lost touch and with our own instincts, our own insight, and our own experience?
We don’t need this research.
Ask yourself these sorts of things:
How would I/my wife/my husband/my Mum/my Dad etc etc (delete as appropriate) feel if I/they were a customer of ours experiencing our current level of service?
That should tell you all you need to know. You don’t need a research report to tell you how important emotion is when it comes to customer service.
Rant over.