Beyond all the hype about delighting customers by meeting and exceeding their expectations, is the simple reality that most businesses just don't come close to knowing what customers care about. Today's consumers expect more and tolerate less, in part because they have so many options. With the ever-expanding explosion of information readily available and easily accessible via the Internet, modern consumers are able to research and comparison shop an endless array of both products and services from the comfort of their own homes or offices. Welcome to the age of the demanding consumer.
Mooney's Ten Demandments for turning the most demanding consumers into the most delighted customers are:
- Earn my trust through respect, integrity, advocacy and quality.
- Inspire me through immersive experiences, motivating messages and related philanthropy.
- Make it easy with simplicity, speed and usefulness.
- Put me in charge of making choices and give me control.
- Guide me with expert advice, education and information.
- Give me 24/7 access, from anywhere, at anytime.
- Get to know me — listen, learn and study me, the real consumer, not just data.
- Exceed my expectations with uncommon courtesies and surprising services.
- Reward me with points programs, privileges of access or other worthwhile extras.
- Stay with me with follow through and meaningful follow-up.
A detailed description of four of the key demandments follows in this series of blog entries. Mooney provides specific action items you can use to tackle the challenges of the ever-demanding customer and secure your company's future.
Demandment #1: Earn My Trust
The first demandment, Earn My Trust, is the single most important demandment. Not only is it the heart of the new consumer experience, it is also the center of the old-school consumer experience. Regardless of where a buyer interacts with a brand, be it a store, a service center, online or on the phone, trust is a fluid commodity that ebbs and flows with each experience. As Mooney points out, a bad experience is often more memorable than a good one and consumers tend to remember when they've been treated poorly more often than when they've been treated well.
In this era of seemingly endless options, with an infinite number of stores and brands and choices, companies possessing an historical relationship with customers and who have provided generation after generation with products and services are ahead of the game in maintaining and extending consumer loyalty. For example, in Harris Polls, consumers frequently rank Johnson & Johnson, makers of Johnson's Baby Shampoo, at the top of the list of most trusted brands. Any brand that succeeds in getting millions of consumers to entrust their babies to its products is clearly onto a good thing.
Earning trust, from the consumer point of view, can be achieved by following these edicts.
- Straight talk, not slick talk. Make clear and honest claims. For example, Land's End guarantee: "Guaranteed. Period." is simple, clear and true.
- Prove you're on my side. Adopt policies that reflect a philosophy of customer advocacy, even if it means losing a sale. Progressive Insurance is an excellent role model, offering free price comparisons and assisting consumers in shopping for insurance rather than simply selling their own products.
- Don't be pushy getting information. Make questions optional, relevant and understated. Ponder this: Why does Radio Shack need a ZIP code before a customer can buy a battery?
- Align your marketing and sales channels to present a unified face to customers. Clearly communicate key information and sales conditions across all channels. According to Jupiter Media Metrix, Inc., 70 percent of online shoppers said that poor online communications could lead them to spend less time and money at their retail store.
- Protect me. Employ a Chief Privacy Officer to ensure consumer privacy and security. One example of a protective response was when IKEA's online catalogue sign-up list was compromised, IKEA sent out an email notifying their customers of the breach.
This final trust-earning behavior is particularly salient with today's information sharing technology. American Express is a terrific example of a corporation protecting its customers: In early 2001 the company sent all cardholders a comprehensive and easy-to-understand notice explaining how they protect cardholder privacy when collecting and using personal information. American Express also provided customers with easy and actionable opt-out choices. These proactive protective measures clearly illustrate the truth behind the opening sentence of the privacy notice mailing: "At American Express, maintaining our customer's trust and confidence is a high priority."
What say you? Comments? Ideas?
Eric Fraterman
eric@customerfocusconsult.com
www.customerfocusconsult.com
1 comment:
A fine list; and quite appropriate that trust appears at the top.
I agree with the centrality of it, and most of the specifics; but if I may, let me make a few quibbles.
"Earn my trust through respect, integrity, advocacy and quality." A OK on 3 out of 4. But "advocacy" is a curious choice of words. A real trust-creating company doesn't have to "advocate" for the customer, because there's no evil forces to advocate against. A great trust-creating company like the ones you cite make seamless partnerships with the customer; it is so collaborative that the concept of "advocacy" seems alien, at least to my ear. '
I personally think "prove you're on my side," and "straight talk, not slick talk," are head and shoulders ahead of the other two. In my own trust work, I suggest low self-orientation, and a sense that "they have my best interests at heart" are the biggest drivers.
Alignment of marketing and sales channels to present a unified face to customers? That one can actually be dangerous. It easily devolves into telling the sales force the "Pitch" they are supposed to make to match up with the marketing ad campaign. That comes off as anti-consumer, not pro; because it sounds like spouting the party line. The example cited (Jupiter's online shopping data) doesn't really speak to this issue, but to unclear communications on the web. "Alignment" is too much an internal concept; taken too far, it can easily be perceived as customer manipulation. Even in the best sense (don't confuse the customer), I don't think it belongs on the same list as the other, very important, criteria posted here.
I hope I don't sound too picky. This is a great list, on a great topic. Thanks.
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