Summary: Much like a marriage, a customer-company relationship can fall victim to unspoken expectations and the emotional consequences of not meeting those expectations. Active listening allows companies to create honest, two-way communications that uncover and address these expectations thus elevating the customer experience.
The Customers’ Unspoken Expectations
Recently, I had a conversation with a colleague about the customer, their expectations, and how that may match, or not match, what the company intends to provide. In this conversation the parallels of the customer-company relationship and marriage became apparent. We start the relationship with some sort of contract, or vows. Some interactions, such as buying a TV, have explicit terms; others, such as buying bread, not explicit but present. Often, we bring to the new relationship an entire set of assumptions and preconceived notions about the company and our relationship with it.
For example, when buying bread I expect my brand to be available. I don’t have an explicit contract with the grocer to carry my brand, but I still expect it. I don’t consider that my brand may not be profitable for the grocer. The grocer and I have never talked about it. When he discontinues it, I’m mad. I’ve now had a bad customer experience and the grocer doesn’t have a clue.
The parallels of the customer-company relationship and marriage are numerous. We start the relationship with some sort of contract, or vows. But then we also bring to that new relationship an entire set of assumptions and preconceived notions.
Customers Have Unspoken Expectations Even in Explicit Transactions
When you look at it from the company’s point of view, it’s a business transaction. The company provides XYZ in exchange for money. But as a consumer I expect ABC and possibly even LMNOP. Unfortunately, we never speak about my expectations nor what the company was willing to provide.
The quintessential example of this is bank overdraft fees. Overdraft coverage is outlined in the account contract you sign. The banks have a contract for XYZ, to which the consumer agrees but quietly assumes the bank will provide LMNOP, e.g. exceptions to the overdraft rule. Consumers assume banks will waive fees for certain circumstances. Banks feel that they should not because the consumer agreed to the contract. Granted, some of these fees were excessive and unfair, but never, ever were they hidden from the consumer. Consumers complained, and many banks held their ground, but good banks did waive the fees for certain (not all) customers.
At this point government has stepped in and imposed regulations on bank overdraft fees, but in an ideal world the banks should have resolved the situation. They should have had an honest, open dialog with consumers and voluntarily worked out a better plan for overdraft protection. An open, two-way dialog with a win-win solution would have gone a long way towards re-establishing general consumer trust with the financial services industry.
Much like a marriage, honest two-way communication is needed in the customer-company relationship to ensure great customer experiences. Unfortunately, companies aren’t listening well. On the flip side, customers too need to do a better job of expressing their expectations.
Active, Two-Way Communication is Needed
Much like a marriage, honest two-way communication is needed in the customer-company relationship to ensure great customer experiences. Unfortunately, companies aren’t listening well. The wrong tools (surveys/focus groups), combined with the squeaky wheel phenomenon, result in a short-sighted approach to the customer experience. It’s like having a conversation with your spouse while they’re channel surfing.
On the flip side, customers need to do a better job of expressing their expectations. The bank overdraft issues occurred because many consumers simply signed the account contracts without reading them. Consumers should pay more attention to, and ask questions about, the explicit terms of an agreement. They should also be more vocal about their unwritten expectations. This is hard for most consumers to do, therefore companies should take the lead and put in place better programs and incentives to solicit this feedback and have true discussions about it.
It’s a Financial Transaction and an Emotional Bond
Companies may not like it but marriage is a great analogy for the customer-company relationship because it involves both a financial transaction and an emotional bond. We are all human and therefore emotional creatures. We make decisions based on logic and emotion—even B2B purchasing decisions are shown to be emotionally driven. At the end of the day, many factors go into the customer-company relationship. Much like a marriage, it’s a complex blend of the rational and the emotional. There are many competencies required to create a great customer experience, but I believe one stands above the rest – and that is Active Listening.
In a two-way relationship companies will engage customers and elevate their customer experience beyond the expectations of both company and consumer.
Active Listening is not only collecting feedback, but digging deeper and asking why, seeking to truly understanding the customers needs and expectations. I’m talking about taking it a step beyond gathering feedback and into a two-way conversation. You’re Voice of the Customer (VOC) program should include conversations. It’s only through conversation, not just listening, that your customer will know that you are actively listening. Once they feel heard, they will then be open to listening to the company’s point of view and you will be able to set expectations about what the company is willing to give. And in this two-way relationship companies will engage customers and elevate their customer experience beyond the expectations of both company and consumer.
