#MisguidedCustomerCentricity - Want to get Away?

Misguided Customer Centricity (MCC) is a phrase I've been using to describe the behaviors of companies when they confuse their effort with their results. Focusing on siloed metrics and having The Customer as "the job" of only one team creates gaps in the Customer Experience.

A few months ago, Rent the Runway's failure in Customer Experience was rooted in a "Supply Chain Crisis," compounded by poor communication & inconsistent customer service. With the Verge story on Away this past week, we're seeing what can happen when there is a significant disconnect between Employee Experience and Customer Experience. How can you avoid these missteps in your company?

1. Fuse a deep connection between "What" you do and "How" you do it.

On Away's Our Story page, you'll find goals including, "Leaving the world better than we found it," "Create a community," and "Building peace in areas of conflict." So, what happened?

With startups, some of the more senior employees have only been at the company for a couple of years with little structure and people put in leadership positions based on their ability to deliver results, not necessarily their competency in management of overworked, ambitious, and frustrated employees. Your customers' experience is a collection of their interactions with your employees and they bring your customer strategy to life with each touchpoint. As a leader, you must invest in the time to understand where this is falling short on your team before replacing leaders, including the CEO.

"Trust, but verify" is a prudent practice for all of us who are in a position to influence the employee experience.

2. Realize it is not just about the service or the product.

Customers see your employees as part of their experience with 68% of customers saying their service representatives (not the policies/process) are key to positive service experiences.

With 81% of companies viewing this experience as a competitive differentiator, how are you prioritizing a holistic approach to your customers' experience beyond each line of business (LOB)?

3. Understand what motivates your employees.

Fear is not an effective (or sustainable) source of motivation. It does not inspire creativity, loyalty, or anything beyond the minimal amount required. Demotivating environments with unreasonable goals and punishments for failure is a fantastic framework for underachievement. Instead, look at the effort, the learning experience, and the willingness to take risks together outside of comfort zones.

Some surprising stats around employee motivation:

• 89% of employers assume that their employees leave for more money elsewhere, but only 12% of employees actually earn more from their next company.
• 39% of employees feel under-appreciated at work, with 77% reporting that they would work harder if they felt better recognized.
• 41% of customers are loyal to a brand or company because they consistently notice a positive employee attitude, while 68% of customers defect from a brand or company because of negative employee attitude.

So, the next time you're evaluating your Customer Strategy, take a step to audit your outcomes with your efforts and avoid your own episode of Misguided Customer Centricity.