The Business Impact of Customer Experience Report 2010 examines how customer experiences affect the overall success of businesses:
– It affects a customer’s intent to purchase from a particular organization.
– It affects the likelihood of a customer switching to a competitor.
– It affects the likelihood of a customer to recommend the business or organization to a friend, coworker, or relative.
With the above in mind, we can conclude that a rise in the Customer Experience Index can dramatically increase business and consequently increase revenues. When customers have a great experience, they tend to purchase more from that particular store. They tell their friends who then come over to buy thus increasing clients and revenue.
One of the best ways to improve the Customer Experience Index is to read and listen to feedback. Organizations that show they have followed customer advice by demonstrating improvements help customers to believe their opinions really do count. So how does a company go about getting opinions?
When customers share feedback, whether it be through complaints to a customer service department, comments to an employee working the front end, thank you notes, or solicited surveys, a company ideally will have a way to communicate with customers when changes have been made. An effective way is through newsletters – either sent separately as a way of staying in touch with clients and customers, emailed, or sent in with monthly billing statements. Here’s an example of a short newsletter I received today from a local boutique where I really love to shop.
“You spoke – we listened.
Thank you for your feedback about our store and our policies. We have read every comment, and our team of sales people and marketing professionals want to make sure all of our clients have the best experience when shopping at ______________. We have addressed your concerns, and this is our update on the progress we have made.
1.The parking situation will now be solved by our very own full-time parking attendant, Mark.
2.Alterations will now be done on premises, and unless the job is really detailed and extensive, Catalina (our loyal seamstress) will try her best to have your alterations done within one week.
3.Coffee, wine, and light snacks will be available for husbands, boyfriends, or significant others.
We hope these changes will add to your wonderful shopping experience at _________________, and we look forward to making our boutique a unique and fun place to shop.”
Maybe the above were only small improvements, but the significance of listening to customer suggestions increase customer loyalty. If a business needs to fix what customers don’t like or improve on positive experiences, it makes a lasting impression on both regular customers and new ones. What better way to woo a new customer to your organization than having other people rave about their wonderful experiences?
photo credit: ABUS Security Tech Germany
Cheryl, no detail is too small. It’s this little stuff – daily stuff – that kills so many experiences. A simple, polite “welcome” or “thank you” often goes a long way in a society of gruff-we-could-care-less attitude. Thanks!
Randy