Displaying items by tag: Customer Experience

I received a testimonial yesterday.

That's not unusual. We're fortunate to receive hundreds each year.

But this testimonial was special.

It wasn’t from a client, partner, prospect or vendor. In fact, it wasn’t from someone we’ve ever worked with.

It was from a man who called us by mistake. That’s right: a wrong number.

But, it turns out, he had such a positive experience with the person who answered our phone that he was compelled to let me know about it. He wrote the following.

“I actually called by accident. Your number is one digit different from another company I was reaching out to. But, when I got off the line with Courtney, I went to your website and read the intro about the importance of making a positive impact during EVERY interaction. It very much hit home because I’d just had that experience with Courtney. It’s been three hours and I still feel the positive vibe she puts out. I want to commend your organization and her sincerely. Nice, genuine people seem to be in short supply these days.”

His email made me smile with gratitude.

As CEO of MadAveGroup, one of my primary responsibilities is to “protect our culture.” And nothing has a greater effect on that culture than the people we employ and our commitment to creating positive customer experiences.

Building that type of environment doesn't happen by accident. Ideally, it's organic and begins with an authentic desire to serve people, but it must always be encouraged and nurtured.

It can be grown, too. For instance, you can use ongoing training to teach employees how to actively create positive experiences for your customers.

Do you provide the tools or incentives to create great interactions? Do your team members know they have the power to make things right with angry customers on the spot? Do you talk about proactively looking for opportunities to wow your clients?

And most importantly, do you follow specific hiring procedures that improve the chances of your new recruits fitting into your positive experience culture?

How would your customers describe their experiences with your organization?

The success of your company depends on their answers.

I don’t eat fast food often, but one day my wife and I were in a hurry. She suggested we stop into Chick-fil-A. I’d never been there before, but I agreed to give it a try.

When we arrived, rain was pouring down. While we were working up the courage to sprint into the building, someone knocked on my wife's window. It was a young man from Chick-fil-A, and he was holding an umbrella. He escorted her into the restaurant and then came back for me.

Once inside, we were welcomed with smiles and friendly greetings. Ordering our food was easy and convenient. And instead of waiting at the counter for it, we were invited to relax at a table, and told that our food would be brought to us.

During our meal, our host checked to see if we wanted anything. He cleared our table of the paper and containers we no longer needed. He refilled my drink - twice. He asked if we’d like dessert. And after we finished eating, he brought me coffee.

In just one visit, I was treated to eight pleasant surprises. I enjoyed a level of service I would have never expected from a fast food restaurant.

Chick-fil-A’s food was fine, but it was the overall experience that left me so satisfied. Both my wife and I left the host with a heartfelt “thank you” and “good-bye,” as well as sincere smiles.

Now, I find myself visiting Chick-fil-A more often, not primarily for the food, but because they make me feel so good.

So, what can you do to help your customers feel that same way? Surely, there are many points before, during and after your buying process that you can improve to wow your customers and generate loyalty and great word-of-mouth.

The process begins by caring enough to look for them.