The Biggest Mistake Companies Make in Customer Experience
Sturdy McKee
I'm helping companies who pride themselves on their customers' experience take that to a whole 'nother level.
The biggest mistake companies make in Customer Experience is... stay tuned.
As a smaller business, meaning anyone under the $50M range, when you try to compete on the big guys’ fields, you are doomed. None of us have the same resources at our disposal that the big guys do. And when you try to play on their playing field and by the rules they've created, it's really hard for customers to understand how you are different. Your company, product or service, becomes a commodity. And this puts you in a competition based on price.
So, the biggest mistake is trying to fit in, to be like everyone else. To counter and avoid this mistake, Embrace What Makes You Different! Whatever it is that makes you different in the eyes of your customers, flaunt it. Even if you think it’s a flaw, you may decide it's better not to “fix” it. You may have an opportunity sitting right in front of you, to instead embrace it and flaunt it.
Check out Buckley’s cough syrup.
This Is Who We Are -- When it comes to being sick, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who want comfort and those who want to get better. We make medicine for the second kind. They know life is too good to miss hiding under the covers. When they're sick, they want to feel like themselves again more than they want to feel sorry for themselves. It's why they'd rather take the fast way than the easy way.
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These are our customers and we never forget it. It means that we just have to make what works and not apologize for how. That's the way it's been since the start, which is why we're so confident when we say, "We're here to make you better."
Buckley's products taste awful. They know it. And they could have gone the route of the big guys and tried to make it taste less awful. The problem is it would lose effectiveness. And that's something they weren't willing to compromise.
And you are probably like Buckley's in that you don't need 50% of market share to make your shareholders happy. You need raving fans who come back because what you do works and how you do it is different.
So, Embrace What Makes You Different!
When you have done that, embracing your uniqueness, then figure out how to accentuate and maybe even exaggerate your difference. Even if you're not sure that they are good differences at first pass. Really consider how you stand apart from the crowd and how you can keep that distance.
Good Luck! I'd love to hear how you are different and what you are doing to be even more so.
I'm helping companies who pride themselves on their customers' experience take that to a whole 'nother level.
1 年Quick Update. This stuff is terrible! And great. I caught a cold. I bought a bottle of Buckley's thinking I should try it since I wrote about it. It tastes so bad that I went back and immediately read the bottle thinking I had just ingested something I was supposed to apply topically. But it's working. Not even 24 hours since the first dose and I'm >50% better. Don't get sick. But if you do and you need something that works, make sure to hold your nose and have some water handy for rinsing it down afterwards.
One of the top business and leadership experts in the world.
1 年I have created a formula for building an effective strategy. It is, "valued differentiation X disciplined execution." In other words, you must bring something to the marketplace that is unique and compelling – that your target customer values highly – that is difficult if not impossible for your competition to copy – and you can consistently deliver it with excellence. You mentioned that you would like us to tell you how we differentiate our business. For me it is four elements. Research: I have read 100+ business books a year for more than 30 years. Real-life: I have been the owner or CEO of four companies and have worked as an executive coach to dozens of CEOs. I know what it's like to run a business. Passion: my clients tell me that it's obvious that I love what I do. I have dedicated my life to helping businesses and people be more successful. ROI: when you add the first three together I am able to deliver a high ROI to my clients. I did not make this up. Our clients told us this is why they hire us.