The new normal in customer experience is within sight
Let’s be honest, we are all ingesting and embracing technology at a faster rate than we ever thought possible.
In many respects, that’s a good thing. Technology is bringing us together despite being asked to distance. We’ve had remote holidays, family gatherings and game nights over Zoom, and even digital happy hours have helped us bridge distances. Interactions like these are normative today, in both families and customers.
So, envision 12 - 18 months from now. What will be the new normal? How many of the activities we are doing today, because we have to be distanced, will still be with us when the time of COVID is less of a concern? I can tell you one thing for certain, we are getting glimpses of it.
Allow me to offer three things you can be sure of as you look ahead.
1. Ease of use beats functionality every time
Recently my wife found herself placing multiple ecommerce orders from different sites. I was within earshot during the process and heard two very telling statements. First, I heard “This darn site is a pain to work with. Every single time it takes me forever to process an order.” I let that comment sit with me and continued on my way. Then, on my way back to my desk, I heard her talk about another site, “Now, that was so easy. Why can’t company X (the first transaction) make it that easy for me?”
Let’s get to the bottom of this example. Both transactions worked. There was no functional problem with order placement in either case. If you asked the developers at both companies, they would say each met all requirements. The difference is in the experience. If you look behind my wife’s spoken words, what you might hear is “The company that makes it easy for me truly respects my time more than the other one.”
This is the essence of brand affinity. Customer engagement through ease of use is a differentiator, today and long into the future. Count on that.
2. Customer patience is going away
Because we have all had to embrace technology, we have seen both the good and the bad. The more Amazon raises the bar with respect to how easily you can place an order, return an order, or ask a question, the less likely we are to accept poor customer engagement in other places. My hope is that every business, in every category, is heeding this wake up call. You can’t afford to assume your customers are going to accept a poor experience as a result of your budget cuts, operational priorities, or lack of awareness of what it is like to do business with you.
Try this idea. Ask one of your family members, who knows very little about your industry, to look at your customer interactions on your web or ordering platform. Just watch them struggle. Or not. Years ago, my family would get a kick out of me saying, as I tackled a DIY project, “I’d like to see the CEO of this company follow these directions and successfully install this product!”
Today, customer experience is all about what it is like to do business with you - at every stage. Every stage in the interaction is important and an opportunity to create delight.
3. Lead, or lose market share fast
If we can agree that customer experience is important and that the tolerance for poor experience is lower than ever, the big challenge for you is to set the bar high and lead your category. If not, you will likely find yourself playing catch up. Remember, your market is changing faster than you think. Take a look at every technology interaction you have in place. Make sure it aligns with your brand proposition. Make sure it is easier to use than your competition. Make sure you teach and guide your customers, rather than make it a challenge to interact with you.
We don’t know what will be the new normal two years. What we do know is the ground is shifting, and you are getting hints as to how you can deepen your relationship with customers - how to make it easy. Respect them. Show them you care by putting the time, budget, and energy into improving your customer experience.