In my Daily Dose video series, I explore the topics that chief customer officers must grapple with on a daily basis. Join me as I discuss what I’ve learned over the course of my 35-year career, so that you can more effectively do the work that needs to be done.
Today’s video is an excerpt from my online course, inspired by my book, Would You Do That To Your Mother? Click here to learn more about the course and enroll.
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the video below.
Here is what we want as customers: we want it when we want it, how we want it, and where we want it. Right? Any questions?
Sometimes we want retail, sometimes Internet; sometimes we want to toggle between both, but at the same time. Oh, and by the way, as customers now we require the companies we work with to have all of our information at their fingertips. And, of course, we also want to receive service in the channels that we desire it. Easy answer, hard solution.
Pace Yourself to Get It Right
As customers, we kind of feel like this is our time to get what we want, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of organizational data, culture and processes have to be worked through to get to this state for any company.
So, as your mom would say, “Pace yourself.” Break it into bite-size pieces, test and learn. Iterate, but know that customers will be grateful, the closer you can get to giving them choices that jibe with their life.
And while we have a lot of newfangled words and jargon to describe this work, when you boil it all down, “give me choices that jibe with my life,” has—at its core—respect. Building a respect delivery machine, and that’s what the Make Mom Proud companies endeavor to do.
4 Case Studies of Customer Respect
Here are some companies that are working through that, to build and deliver their version of respect.
Respecting your desire for service options, Canada Post is reimagining what a post office should look like and feel like, and they’re working to accommodate people’s needs for efficiency and speed. They’ve put in a drive-through lane in some stores to allow people to pick up packages. Customers drive through, have their barcode scanned, and then pick up their package from a window.
Respecting your need for relevant and supportive communication, the Royal Bank of Scotland is working to revitalize and earn back customer trust. They are harnessing customer data to tell customers things like, when they may have been paying twice for the same service that was once package with their bank account, and again when they opted into the service as an add-on.
They are also auto messaging customers when fixed interest deals are coming to an end, so that they have their back. Otherwise, customers would automatically roll into a more expensive variable rate.
Respecting your need for self service and being in control, Georgia Power developed an app for customers called My Power Usage. It is a personalized tool that lets customers manage their energy costs from anywhere they can check and manage daily energy costs. They are also there and send alerts and information to help customers eliminate billing surprises.
Respecting your need for service now, Nike support is a Twitter powerhouse because you never know when or why people need help. Their Twitter account for service is dedicated to just that; all service, all the time, 24/7, 365 days a year. And because one language does not fit all, they tweet and speak in seven languages; English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Italian, German and Japanese.
What are you doing in your own company to demonstrate your respect for your customers? Leave me a comment below; I’d love to hear from you!
When you boil it all down, 'give me choices that jibe with my life,' has—at its core—respect. Building a respect delivery machine, and that's what #MakeMomProud companies endeavor to do. Share on X
HOW WOULD YOUR COMPANY ACT IF EVERY CUSTOMER WERE YOUR MOM?How do we cut through the rigmarole of business to give customers the treatment they desire, and employees the ability to deliver it?
In her latest book, customer experience expert Jeanne Bliss recommends making business personal to get the traction you need by focusing on one deceptively simple question: “Would you do that to your mother?”
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