customer service excellence

7 Lessons on Customer Experience Excellence: Insights from a Personal Journey

Posted on October 1, 2024November 30, 2024 by Denyse Drummond-Dunn

Inspiration for Customer Experience (CX) excellence can come from the most unexpected places. As business leaders, we know that keeping an open mind and learning from every occurrence is crucial to improving our own practices.

Recently, I had an eye-opening experience that reinforced this lesson in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

After the holiday season, I found myself grappling with severe lower back pain, which escalated into a medical ordeal that spanned hospital stays, emergency surgeries, and a lengthy recovery.

While the pain was, without a doubt, overwhelming, it provided me with a unique opportunity to observe the healthcare system from the patient’s perspective—a perspective that offers valuable lessons for any business striving for customer experience excellence.

As CEOs and business owners, the insights I gleaned from this experience are not only relevant but essential. Let me share with you seven key lessons I learned during my hospital stay and how they can be applied to your business, especially when it comes to enhancing customer experience.

If you prefer to listen rather than read:

C3Centricity · 7 Lessons In Customer Experience Excellence – 2

1. Introduce Yourself with Purpose

Every time a new nurse or doctor entered my hospital room, they introduced themselves and clearly stated their role in my care. This seemingly simple act built trust, creating a personal connection in an otherwise impersonal setting.

Business Application: In business, introductions shouldn’t be limited to names. Every team member should articulate their role and purpose in any customer interaction. This not only sets the stage for effective communication but also helps customers feel at ease.

Whether it’s a new client meeting, a sales call, or a routine service check-in, ensuring that your team introduces themselves with clarity and purpose can set the tone for a positive interaction. This small step can prevent unnecessary confusion and ensure that everyone involved knows their role in delivering value to the customer.

2. Acknowledge That You Know Me

Despite seeing different medical professionals throughout my stay, I never felt like I had to start over with my story. Each practitioner knew who I was and understood my situation. This continuity reassured me that my needs were understood and being managed properly.

Business Application: How often do customers feel like they have to start over when they interact with your business? Companies that invest in personalized experiences—whether through CRM systems, detailed customer records, or simply attentive staff—demonstrate a commitment to their customers’ needs.

According to Salesforce’s 2023 “State of the Connected Customer” report, 88% of customers expect companies to accelerate digital initiatives and personalization efforts. Every touchpoint in the customer journey must be informed by past interactions. When your customers feel known and valued, you’re far more likely to foster loyalty and trust.

3. Prioritize Comfort and Satisfaction

Each medical visit began with a simple question: “Are you comfortable?” It was an open invitation to share how I was feeling, which in turn helped the staff respond to my needs more … Click to continue reading

The Customer Retention Goldmine: How to Keep Customers Happy and Drive Exponential Growth

Posted on August 1, 2023September 6, 2024 by Denyse Drummond-Dunn

Customer retention is essential for the long-term success of any business.

We all know happy customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, provide positive reviews, and refer others to your business. But how do you keep customers happy?

Here are some of the best strategies to retain your customers. Check them out and apply any you are not currently actioning, to enjoy improved growth for your business:

1. Provide Excellent Customer Service: This is the starting point if you want to keep your customers happy. Offer fast, helpful, and personalized support whenever they need it.

Respond to inquiries and complaints quickly and resolve issues to the best of your ability.

In fact, go beyond just satisfying them, and find ways to surprise and delight them with a little added and unexpected attention. (more on that later)

Customer service is a critical aspect of retaining customers. According to HubSpot research, 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases from companies that offer excellent customer service.
On the other hand, 33% of customers would consider switching after just one instance of poor service according to American Express.
Responding to customer inquiries within an hour can increase customer retention rates by up to 56% (Harvard Business Review).
Nearly half of all customers (46%) expect companies to respond to their emails within 4 hours, while 12% expect a response within 15 minutes or less.
However, 90% of customers view an instant response as either crucial or very important when they need customer service assistance. Of these, 60% consider instant to mean within 10 minutes or faster.

2. Build Strong Relationships: Engage with your customers on social media, through email newsletters, or other communication channels. Show appreciation for their business and make them feel valued. Businesses that build strong customer relationships are likely to see increased loyalty and repeat business.

According to a study by Bain & Company, increasing customer retention rates by 5% can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits.

3. Consistent Communication: Keep your customers informed about new products, promotions, and updates. Regularly engage with them to maintain their interest. Find ways to keep them involved with your brand even when they are not consuming/using it.

Consistent communication helps to keep customers engaged and informed about your products and promotions. Brands that communicate with customers regularly witness a higher retention rate compared to those that do not (SuperOffice).

4. Quality Products and Services: Deliver high-quality products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations. Satisfied customers are more likely to return.

High-quality products and services contribute significantly to customer satisfaction. A study by the Customer Contact Council found that customers who had the best past experiences spend 140% more than those with poor experiences.

5. Loyalty Programs: Implement a loyalty program that rewards customers for repeat purchases. Offer discounts, exclusive offers, or points that can be redeemed for future discounts or free items.

Loyalty programs can boost customer retention. According to a study

… Click to continue reading

The New Qualities for Customer Service Excellence

Posted on September 27, 2022May 3, 2024 by Denyse Drummond-Dunn

The covid pandemic clearly highlighted those companies that truly care about their customers and which provide customer service excellence.

If a company claims to be customer centric, they must not just talk the talk, but walk the talk too. The pandemic gave many people more time to review from whom they bought and what services they were getting in return.

A few years ago I was prompted to question my own purchase decision of cable services from the Swiss company UPC-Cablecom. It had been known to have a long-term deficit in customer service excellence versus its main competitor Swisscom. And as recent PWC research shows, 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience.

Swisscom has made customer service their MSP (main selling point or value proposition) and they were renowned for putting their customers first. UPC-Cablecom, on the other hand, had until then, been trying to win customers through non-stop promotions and aggressive price cutting. In today’s connected world, especially where the internet is concerned, dissatisfied customers will be quickly heard – across the net.

Back to the incident that prompted this post. After a few days of being ignored by UPC-Cablecom – my perception at least, because my emails and phone calls were not being answered – I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that I resorted to Twitter.

More than five years ago, Twitter was first referred to as today’s customer service centre. Social media usually guarantees a quick response, since contacting customer services through the usual channels often results in no reaction for hours if not days.

What makes a great customer care centre?

Customers these days expect a response in minutes or hours rather than days. Research shows that nearly half of all customers (46%) expect companies to respond faster than 4 hours, and 12% expect a response within 15 minutes or less. And yet the average time to respond to customer service requests is currently 12 hours and 10 minutes! How do your own customer service response times compare? As you enjoy my blog posts I assume they are significantly better.

Most call centres are a frustrating, if sometimes necessary, experience for (often dissatisfied) customers to endure. In many cases, they are automated, with a long and complex self-selection process of button pushing to arrive at the department one needs – if you’re lucky that is!

But too often the result of all that effort is just a recording telling you to call back later as the department needed is not open at the moment, or that the collaborators are currently busy and to please stay on the line.

We are next subjected to music supposedly designed to calm our nerves, interspersed with messages suggesting alternative solutions to waiting in line. Go to the website to find a solution in their available FAQs, complete a contact form, or send an email. I find this insulting since I am sure most people only call after trying to find a solution … Click to continue reading

What Consumer Goods Companies Can Learn From Healthcare. 7 Lessons of Customer Service Excellence

Posted on October 23, 2018May 3, 2024 by Denyse Drummond-Dunn

If you work in consumer goods you probably think you have nothing to learn from healthcare, right? After all, you have consumers in your industry name and well healthcare’s reputation is not that great.

But think again. I was recently in a clinic for surgery and was surprised by how customer (patient) centric they are.

I remind my clients that exceptional customer service examples can come from anywhere! So they keep their eyes and ears open and find inspiration everywhere. Do you? If not, then these lessons will come as your wake-up call so you start opening your eyes to new possibilities. Do this every day and your business will only get better.

Background

Before I give you the lessons I learned, I think I owe you a little background to what led up to this list.

I had been suffering from a bad back for a while. Unfortunately, not so unusual for those of us who spend too many hours at our desks. However, one morning I tried to get out of bed and fainted as an explosive pain shot down my back to my right foot! I was totally immobilised in three seconds flat!

Now living alone I realised that this was serious as I couldn’t move. Luckily my mobile was by my bed so I called the emergency services who immediately sent an ambulance. I ended up spending a night in a local University Hospital for the first time in my adult life.

However, the story doesn’t end there. Two days later I fell down the stairs because my leg had become partially paralysed. Another visit to the emergency room, an ankle brace fitted, a consultant’s assessment, an MRI scan and finally emergency surgery the following day.

All these experiences of hospitals and doctors gave me the superb opportunity to see the health service from the patient’s perspective. I work a lot with the Pharma industry but luckily have never been a patient, at least until now.

As you probably know, actually becoming your customer and seeing the market from their perspective, is one of the exercises I suggest to better understand them. How often do you do it? Ever?!! You really should, because you’re missing out on a valuable – and free – experience.

Perhaps surprisingly, this incident showed me that many of the practices of the nurses and doctors that I witnessed in my heavily sedated state, are easily transferable to any business. This is why I decided to share them with you.

So here are my seven learnings about customer service excellence:

1. Introduce yourself

Every time someone came to my room, they introduced themselves and explained why they were there. Over the course of the days I spent at the hospital and then the clinic, I saw many different doctors, nurses. cleaners, waiters etc. I appreciated that they themselves always started by introducing themselves and stating what their responsibility was in caring for me.

How you can apply this idea: In … Click to continue reading

Customers Care About a Product’s Value, Not How the Company Treats Employees

Posted on March 21, 2017October 4, 2024 by Denyse Drummond-Dunn

Your customers only really care about themselves and your product’s value to them!

I’ve been a customer champion for most of my career. But with the likes of Richard Branson saying it’s employees first, customers second, my confidence was beginning to slide a little.

Thank goodness, therefore, for some new research from Global RepTrak® that has finally confirmed what I have always believed. Customers care about themselves first and foremost! Everyone else comes second.

Dale Carnegie spelled it out really well when he said:

“People are not interested in you. They are not interested in me. They are interested in themselves – morning, noon and after dinner.”

It was the below chart that I first saw on MarketingCharts.com that alerted me to this work by RepTrak™. (I highly recommend signing up for their daily charts by the way; they’re a great source of facts and inspiration!)

The article that accompanies the chart is a great read too. However, I wanted to take a look behind these numbers and try to understand why some influencers have been pushing employee centricity.

Products And Services Are Key

The first four factors of reputation shown in the graph above are all product related. Therefore it’s clear that customers think about themselves first and foremost. They want satisfaction and therefore it’s a product’s value that matters most. I think that’s normal, don’t you? They are looking for a solution that meets their needs and a company that stands behind what they offer.

Great customer service won’t make up for a terrible product or service offer. So every organisation needs to ensure that what they propose is the very best they possibly can.

However, it is also true that the quality and value you offer depends to a large extent on the excellence of your employees in delivering it. If employees are not motivated to give their best, then what they deliver will be sub-optimal.

This is why it is essential that everyone within a company understands their role in satisfying the customer.

One of the quickest ways I have found to achieve this is by providing regular access to the customer. Once an employee sees and understands what they can do to increase satisfaction, they are much more likely to do it. After all, it’s absurd to think that they would want their employer to fail, isn’t it? In fact, I have seen a genuine excitement around customer connections whenever I have introduced them within an organisation.

If you’d like to organise your own customer connection sessions then I highly recommend reading “Five Rules of Observation and Why it’s Hard to Do Effectively.”

Employees Are An Important Touchpoint

I think it was P&G who coined the phrase “the first moment of truth” in referring to the beginning of the shopping experience. I would, therefore, add employees, at least in retail and other consumer-facing industries, as being a close second. However, the vast majority of products are made by companies that rarely, … Click to continue reading

Tag: customer service excellence