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Let’s End the One-Way Street of Customer Experience
Author: Bill Cusick
July 6, 2009
Have you ever been in a conversation where the other person was very eager to tell you about himself? To let you know about his life and his opinions? Maybe he was very nice, and even interesting, but slowly it sinks in: this other person seems to be engaged with me, but really I’m just an audience, not a participant.
When that happens, how eager are you to approach that person the next time you see him at a party, or at the coffee machine at work? Probably not so much. The reason, of course, is that we all like to be entertained, but a much more powerful need is to feel we belong, and that we’re valued. We’re social animals, and a primal force that drives us is a sense of connection with others.
And yet, when you think about the different companies you deal with, and the way in which they set up their processes, services, and communications, what is usually missing? In my experience, and our research, the ingredient often lacking is that connection.
Businesses like to disseminate, not discuss, to promulgate policies instead of engage in discourse with customers. And I’m not talking about just the poster children for bad customer service. Even companies that mean well avoid dipping too far into activities like listening and interacting with customers because, let’s face it, it can get messy.
But for businesses who want to change the dynamic and elevate the customer relationship to a new level, to a plane where customers have a real voice, and feel connected, with your company, the effort pays off exponentially. The reward for you is not just short-term gains in retention but a fierce loyalty – not just because of your products or services, but instead because of the more powerful emotions that drive human behavior: friendship, caring, and belonging.
