Experience As Differentiator

Chances are, you’re probably not the only business providing your types of products or services in your area.

But, you know what makes you better and different from the competition when it comes to your products and services.

However, that product difference it isn’t always as clear and understood to your customers as it is to you. This is when service and experience can play a HUGE part in getting customers to return to you. Service is something they can see, hear and feel. It’s something they take with them when they leave.

Here’s a simple example:

There are two coffee shops in the same shopping center. In the mind of the customer, they both serve similar products – coffee, tea, pastries.

One coffee shop provides spotty, “okay” service. The other coffee shop blows their customers away with exceptional service… every day.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn the shop with the better service has higher sales and more loyal customers than the other. Interestingly enough, the shop with the superior service could have a product that is a bit lower in quality than the competition and still be perceived as the best because they provided an experience to delight their customers. It’s that simple!

Word Travels Fast

In this digital world we live in, news travels very fast. The great job or terrible job you do is now amplified online through social media and online review sites.

Yes, people will be quick to complain online. And, you won’t be praised for doing a good job every day. But, it is when you do a GREAT job or recover from a BIG problem that you let your customers know who you are.

While every customer experience is a learning opportunity (and you will make some mistakes), you should be prepared for whatever you say or do in front of your customers good or bad, may also appear in your Facebook newsfeed, on Twitter, in an online review, or even on the front page of your local newspaper.

Let’s put it this way… if your interaction with a customer was recorded, would you be proud of what you said/did?

Onto hiring the right people.