Touchpoint Insights, August 2011: Time To Act SMART

Insights and Influence in 140 Characters or Less…

Despite competing attention from killer hurricanes, geographically confused earthquakes and the dog days of August, last month's trending topic is clear: Customers really are getting smarter, and when they do they're leaving the companies that act stupidly behind.

The world of customer experience has already changed forever, and the race to better understand and serve the digitally enabled, technologically advanced masses is well and truly on.

Don't let these savvy customers outpace your ability to serve them. They want (demand!) digital order confirmations – on the platform of their choice – better-than-good transactional experiences – working mobile technology – targeted offers – and more than a little honesty. In summary, it's time to act SMART...

1.) It's 2011. How does a major company still not email? http://ow.ly/61Oos
My tweet really speaks for itself. No, we [large utility company] can’t email you that confirmation, we don't email. You don't email? What does that even mean in this day and age? And the comments show this isn't a solitary experience. Theories abound as to what could possibly be driving this company to lock its CSRs from using email as a customer communications' avenue: lack of CSR trust, fear of culpability, head-in-the-sand ignorance (that last one's mine). Regardless, it's inexcusable. (Tweet Score: 71)

2.) Reading: “The Customer Satisfaction Survey Snag” http://ow.ly/5ZTcg
I wanted to share an old post that came across my radar recently for three reasons. 1) I still strongly believe in measuring loyalty, and we don't want to lose sight of that value in the mix of new theories, avenues and media. 2) The author has an interesting take on making the mid-range of your scale “Perfect but nothing special,” followed by “Better than I could expect from another provider.“ 3) It discusses the perils (and commonplace occurrence) of coaching customers on what constitutes an acceptable answer. And the flip side of that, sending employees off for more customer service training when they achieve a sub-par rating. Is that half-a-point real and worth the cost of training? More questions than answers here, but they're questions worthy of your consideration. (Tweet Score: 70)

3.) One touchpoint, multiple experiences. http://ow.ly/6gDK3
This post on emotional intelligence just scratches the surface, but oh what a scratch! Guaranteed to bring the PC-hordes out with swords drawn. Men and women are different (surprise!), and as such, there are different ways to effectively handle (and react to) CSM issues. The stereotypes are sweeping and the “resolution” doesn't resolve anything, but it's grist for the mill and spicy food for thought. (Tweet Score: 69)

4.) When the Brand's Message Contradicts the Customer's Experience... http://ow.ly/6e3Sp
Other than measuring satisfaction rather than loyalty, I like where author DiJulius is going here. Why is it that executives who rise through finance, engineering or manufacturing regard CEX as a sales, marketing, or CSR-only function, while they're fine throwing millions at advertising and branding? And I quote, “By investing 50 percent of your marketing budget into dramatically improving the level of your organization's customer service, you will see a significantly greater ROI than you were getting on your marketing and advertising dollars. Your customer base will turn into an unpaid salesforce.” As much as I believe in marketing and branding? Amen to that. (Tweet Score: 67)

5.) “Knowing and understanding your customers' preferences before they buy allows you to create an even stronger experience.” http://ow.ly/5ZTk8
Sometimes it's the small things that count. While some new technology encroaches into creepy territory for those of us over 26 — I'm still not comfortable with 24/7 location tracking and texts promoting sales based on something I bought my wife last year — it's true that I've come to expect a certain amount of customization. Drugstore.com isn't trying to sell me lipstick and my local coupon company knows I drive a German car…and that I don’t change my own oil. So even if your organization isn't the most tech advanced, what can you do to let your customers know that they're not an anonymous face in the crowd? You've got data...or the means to get data...so use it. (Tweet Score: 63)

6.) Your products are just the souvenirs of your customers' experiences. http://ow.ly/65B9B
Thoughts become actions. A little “woo-woo” for our typical fare but we believe it whole-heartedly, and so does MSNBC's Retail Doctor (Bob Phibbs). Sure, read your (dismal) reports, analyze the (low) sales numbers, don't forecast on a rainbow, but still focus on what can be. Think about the future in terms of “What if we could?....” (A retail variation of Yes we can, I suppose.) For people at the top of the company command chain, this is an especially pertinent lesson. You're supposed to supply the vision, and no one would confuse deep discounts and gloomy forecasts with vision. So get your Pollyanna on and start visualizing a better tomorrow / Christmas season / 2012. You might just find a spark of energy or new idea that spreads to your employees, turning your positive thoughts into positive returns. (Tweet Score: 53)

7.) Reading: “Mobile commerce: Five ways to improve the customer experience” http://ow.ly/65BVK
Remember when new technology used to be awesome? Literally? (If you're under 30, I'm just sounding quaint.) When Dad got his first car phone? In Minority Report when Tom Cruise swipes high-resolution images across a giant glass screen with his bare hands? It was all so magical. Now….not so much. We want mobile technology to work and we want it to work now. If it doesn't, we think that stabbing at our smart phones ever more furiously will do the trick. But mobile technology is here to stay, so get planning / linking / testing / strategizing, and oh yeah, make sure it works. No one's gonna cut you any slack. (Tweet Score: 45)

8.) The (Social) Customer Isn't [Always] Right http://ow.ly/64DZ2
Ten points for using “balderdash” in a post. Oh yeah, good content too. The reach of a social-media-savvy customer may be great, but their opinions aren't always; they can be just as misinformed, obnoxious and cranky as the next person's. True: They still have the reach and power to trash you...true. Good: Social media monitoring analysis is becoming more widely available to sniff out hacks and plants. We can hope: Audiences are becoming more aware of taking rogue reviews with a grain of salt. (Tweet Score: 44)

9.) Just not “32B”! http://ow.ly/6fILE
Yes “32B” is an airline seat, no this isn't an airline story. It's an analogy...and a damn fine one...for saving reputations, grief and time by ensuring you're a good match with your clients. And listening to your instincts when they tell you you're not. It’s tough to turn down business, even when you foresee nothing but heartache and pain (service-wise, technologically, philosophically). But what if saying 'no' to the bad fit earned you referrals to good fits based on your high credibility? Sounds like a win-win. (Tweet Score: 41)

10.) What would cause a brand to participate in a documentary that exposes advertising? Smart customers. http://ow.ly/66FJ1
Regular readers know how I feel about smart customers / stupid companies, and movie director Morgan Spurlock does a great job of tapping into that. The companies brave enough to get into bed with him for The Greatest Movie Ever Sold are bold and confident in their savvy customers, and they earn my respect for that alone. Volkswagen, you missed the boat on “thinking different” with that rejection fax. (Fax? Did I say “fax”? Oh yes. And how neatly that brings us full circle to our first August post!) (Tweet Score: 40)