The Customer Experience

Good service is not good enough. Today's customers are different. Their tastes are different, their demands are varied and they have raised the bar. Companies that want to make it have to open their eyes and ears and realise that the customer service landscape has changed dramatically.

The Wow! Experience is one where the customer's expectations are met and exceed at every stage of his interaction with you - from the beginning to the end. There is an emotional connection with the customer which cause him to respond positively in a way that helps grow your business - he buys, he returns and he tells others about you. Your engaged customers become loyal and choose to return and even become your 'salesperson' as they tell others about you.

The Wow! Experience involves the 3Cs:

1. Customer first focus - the key focus of the strategy is centred on the customer and how to connect with her. The people, place, product and processes are focused on the customer.
2. Customisation - tailoring and personalising components to suit the customer's specific wants.
3. Complete - an end to the experience - meeting and exceeding the customer's expectations at every stage of the transaction - from beginning to end.

Companies which get their customers to say 'Wow' are those which strives to go beyond and to exceed expectations at every stage. Emotional engagement makes these customers return, and tell others about you. Your business grows.

The Wow! Experience involves engaging the emotions over and above meeting the 'given' expectations of speed, quality and the like. Customers today are willing to pay a higher price for such experiences because they are rare. They also make customers feel like individual and specific needs.

The 4 Ps of the Wow! Experience

1. People - quality leaders who hire the right staff who are then trained diligently in the different products until they are truly skilled and confident.
2. Product - high quality and easy to use.
3. Place - appealing décor and a comfortable space to conduct business in.
4. Process - processes are developed with the customer in mind; efficient and consistent.

The Wow!Experience is about meeting and exceeding the expectations of the customer at every contact point to create something that is unique and memorable.

So from today onwards, make an effort to stand out from the crowd and be noticed - it pays to be different in a way your customer value.