Now instead of “No”, they have a new order and have simultaneously made getting a last-minute birthday cake easy. If the front line staff were to inquire and find this out, they could take the cake design request over the phone and advise that delivery on Saturday morning was an option. Let’s imagine in this case, the customer wants to pick up a cake for their daughter’s birthday on Saturday. If the front line staff member answers “No”, or even if they use positive language and say, “We are open until 5pm”, they might be missing the real reason the customer is calling. A customer might call a bakery to inquire if they are open Friday nights. A customer’s stated request is not always the real issue. Another way in which companies are improving the customer experience is by understanding the context of the request. It comes down to not what you say, but how you say it. Instead of, “Your order won’t be ready today”, say “Your order will be ready tomorrow morning”. Instead of, “There are no appointments available this week”, say “I have an opening next week”. Your first instinct is that you can’t honour the customer request, but that’s no reason to say “No”. What if there was another way to say “No” that your customers could accept? Even like? The authors share ways in which companies are saying “No” but still ensuring a positive experience for customers. No one likes telling a customer “No” and no customer likes hearing “No”, but sometimes that is the answer. So what happens next when a customer calls in? Insight #1īe positive and understand the real issue 'Just because there’s nothing you can do, doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do.' - The Effortless Experience, page 91 There will always be customers who want to pick up the phone and speak to a live representative and even the best self-service options can’t solve complex customer problems. However, self-service isn’t for everyone. Leading companies are making it easy to help customers help themselves – and are rewarded by increased loyalty. On your last vacation, did you wait in line at the airport to check in? Or did you use a self-serve kiosk? Or print your boarding pass at home?.

When you need to withdraw money from your bank account, do you approach the bank teller or use the ATM?.

Rather than feel insulted, think of these examples: Contrary to popular belief, sometimes your customers don’t want to talk to you. One of the ways in which companies are making it easier for customers to solve their own problems is self-service. The authors’ research shows these interactions are four times more likely to drive disloyalty instead of increasing a customer’s loyalty. They call you when they need your help and this is the moment when their loyalty is most likely to be impacted. The truth is, customers don’t call you when everything is fine. Reduce the amount effort it takes to do business with you 'We pick companies because of their products, but often leave them because of their service failures.' - The Effortless Experience, page 23 And, they’re empowering their front line employees to make it happen. They’re engineering the customer experience to reduce perceived effort. They’re finding out the real issue – not just the customer’s stated request. So how are companies creating low-effort service for their customers? They’re putting systems in place to allow customers to help themselves. Willing to consider another provider? You bet. How do you feel after this experience? Exhausted? Me too! Likely to recommend the company to a friend? Nope. We’ve all had a high effort experience – searching a company website for an answer to your problem, calling customer service and waiting in queue, getting transferred from one department to another, and finally escalating your call to a supervisor to get your issue resolved. What customers today are looking for is an “effortless experience” and they reward the companies that are able to provide this experience with their loyalty. The customer might say they are “extremely satisfied” with your service, but it won’t make them more loyal in the long run. Research shows that going above and beyond for a customer has minimal impact on their loyalty. What they find runs contrary to what many of us believe to be true. The Effortless Experience investigates what drives customer loyalty – and disloyalty.

Loyal? No way.' - The Effortless Experience, page 19

But the minute a new restaurant opens, you bet I’ll go there. 'I live in a small town with only one steakhouse.

Effortless experience