What is Your Brand Experience?
Welcome to the Why to Wow newsletter which is all about inspiring the hearts and minds of people worldwide with the Power of Differentiation. In the Why to Wow newsletter, I share my experiences over the last 40+ years helping leaders differentiate their brands and products. I hope it will inspire you to discover and share your own brand’s uniqueness with the world.
Does your company offer one consistent, inspiring customer experience? Or does it offer two, three, maybe dozens or hundreds? As an example, if your sales channel has 800 salespeople and no defined customer treatment standards, then there are that many experiences of varying quality with absolutely no uniformity. Pleasing anyone (customers, dealers, and the enterprise itself) is impossible in that predicament.
We all align the customer experience with the brand, and maybe that makes sense. If you go into a car dealership and receive lousy treatment, you will probably never buy a product made by that brand. But in truth, the company itself may have had nothing to do with your displeasure. It could’ve been the staff at that particular dealership. Despite this, you (and most of us), would allow that stain to affect your opinion of the overall brand. Here are some questions to ask to determine if you indeed have consistent customer experience.
Is your experience authentic? The way you treat customers should feel natural and comfortable to your team. Employees should understand what their roles are with the customer. For example, they might be there to teach the customer, to help guide, inform, and educate them. Now, if the customers in that situation feel they are being manipulated to buy something not in their best interest, you will lose them forever.
If you sell through a sales channel, is it dedicated or “playing the field?” To put this another way, is your product the only one in its category that your dealer or distributor sells, or do they represent others as well? If they offer only your brand, it’s far more likely they’ll support and provide a consistent, refined experience.
Do you and your team “live” the brand and associate with the customer? A few, very amazing companies overflow with people who not only represent the brand but are also its customers and ambassadors. Their leaders and employees love (consume) the product, experiment with it, and hang out with customers. If your company produces snowmobiles, does your team ride them as well? Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, do you manufacture a “value” offering, yet top executives personally own a competitor’s premium brand instead? If so, analyze the message you’re sending, because others are watching to see if you really believe.
Is customer loyalty rewarded? Most of us think of airline rewards programs when it comes to customer retention, but is it really loyalty if we are “bribing” people with points and free products to stay with us? With most customers, merely being acknowledged, thanked, and confided in is enough for them to stay with you (assuming your product works, of course).
Are employees empowered to solve problems? Your employees usually know far better how to help the customer and tackle issues. The best brands promote a strategy that encourages people on the front line to solve problems immediately. You will dramatically improve both customer loyalty and employee retention by doing this.
Does your technology help or hinder the experience? Whether it’s your website, email system, product configurator, app, or call lines, if they present one more arduous task to endure when a problem occurs, you’re in a battle to keep customers. Technology should not be in place purely to make it easier or cheaper for you. It is primarily in place to assist the customer.
How accessible is leadership? What if there’s a major customer issue or opportunity? Will the “top dog” jump in immediately? You can build lifelong relationships when the customer knows you care. If the leader is never available to discuss a situation, that makes a statement. Also, sometimes it’s wonderful when a customer hears from the president.
Employees know when the leaders are sincere and care about the customer. We cannot give our valued employees a reason to leave us. They need to know we care about our customers and that we have value as a company, which provides them with significance. The customer experience must reflect that.
Difference-maker: Excellent brands and their leaders embrace the beauty and value of a consistent, authentic customer experience. The entire enterprise, including employees, sales channel, and suppliers, must “live it” and embody it daily.