Don’t worry, I’m not extending last month’s Halloween metaphor. And in any case, as far as retailers are concerned, we’re now deep into the festive season.
But, what I am going to be doing though, is looking at the importance of detail in customer experience.
Businesses can become so fixated by their CX strategy and all that big picture thinking that they overlook the supposedly smaller elements – the very things that matter most to customers. It’s something that I recently experienced…
A less than happy weekend away
Matt and I were really looking forward to escaping to Cornwall for a child-free weekend. Although we knew that the hotel we were booked into was hosting an event on the first night of our stay (as advertised on their website), we were not made fully aware of the impact it might have on us until after we’d paid (at a non-refundable rate).
We then discovered we weren’t in the level of room we’d paid for and our room was in fact, directly above said event, which heavily featured live music! Now, nine times out of ten, I’d be first in line for a party, but this particular trip wasn’t that sort of occasion for us. We’d been looking forward to relaxing and unwinding, and felt that the hotel should have done more to flag up the reality of what we were going to encounter.
Also, before we’d even checked in, we discovered there was no on-site car parking. This didn’t turn out to be a huge issue but it was inconvenient and meant that the wrong tone was set from the off. And, as if all that wasn’t enough – I was sent an email that was intended for instant feedback during our stay, two days late️ (after we’d returned home).
All in all, this didn’t make for a great experience. I have now shared my feedback with them, and it remains to be seen how they respond…
Why it should matter to the hotel
The weekend struck me as a series of overlooked or mis-communicated details which, taken together, contributed to something that fell well short of our expectations and the promise of the hotel’s own marketing. It was an experience that impacted not only our willingness to go back ourselves, but also to recommend the place to others.
In ‘net promoter score’ terms, we’d gone from promoters who would definitely recommend, based on our excellent first stay there a couple of years ago, to passives at best, and possibly even, detractors. With research in the US showing 54% of consumers would stop using a brand following a bad experience, it’s so important to make sure all your touchpoints are well thought-through and deliver for your customers.
At this point, you may be thinking “this is all very well in a B2C setting, but I’m in B2B, how do I look at improving my customer (or client) experience?”
So, here are some areas you should be thinking about:
– You can ensure you listen to your clients at the right time, throughout their journey with you. This means, for example, asking them about their onboarding experience when you first begin working together – it makes far more sense at that point. There’s little to be gained by waiting until the completion of a project!
– Ask your team to share their thoughts on where you might improve things for clients – they often have great ideas and small tweaks can make a big difference.
– Think about how you communicate with your clients, do you ask about their communication preferences, or do you treat everyone the same? Perhaps some clients prefer phone calls to email, particularly when it comes to explaining complex issues. Truly putting your clients at the centre of all you do (not just saying that you do on your website) goes a long way to creating an excellent experience.
Whether you call them customers or clients, this group, along with your employees is the lifeblood of your business. Make sure you’re making them feel valued and wanting to come back for more, and bringing others along with them too!
Until December, and the final round-up of the year.