For business entrepreneurs, the ideal business is one that performs with excellence. We want our business to perform for ourselves so we can achieve that desired lifestyle, we want it to perform for our employees so we can retain and recruit the best talent, and we want it to perform for our customers, so they keep coming back and tell their friends about their excellent experience…
In recent blog articles we’ve looked at the rhythmic acquisition of customers and how it’s reliant on having the right team in place, who are aligned with your vision to acquire customers in a consistent, predictable, profitable and routine manner.
Now that’s been covered, let’s look at how to deliver for those acquired customers, in the same consistent manner. Gaining customers is one thing, but to be predictably profitable, you must be delivering excellence at every step of the customer journey.
‘Please make me feel special’ – what every customer of every business is secretly saying every time they interact…
When did standard become great?
Have you recently been to a shop or restaurant and genuinely thought: ‘that was great service, they were really helpful?’. When in fact what they have done was deliver the basic standards… Sadly, we’ve become so used to poor service, and seeing examples of it on social media and the news, that anything competent and friendly can feel outstanding.
Now, how would your customers behave if they felt they were consistently served with higher than average standards, and constantly wowed. What would the impact be on your bottom line and your team?
One risk of growing a large business is that it can become focused on internal processes – something that is important, but not more important than the customer journey – how your customers feel when interacting with your business. It’s easy to forget the fact that we should be fixated on the customer’s experience, and that in turn defines our processes.
NB: The customer journey doesn’t end when that one-time lead becomes a purchasing customer…
A customer centric experience produces excellent delivery
Some business owners may freely admit to understanding the customer journey as that of prospect to lead to customer. However, customer centric experiences means providing a consistent and defined journey throughout our business, including after the sale.
Defining this customer centric journey also means that our team can follow a process (you’ll be glad to hear!) that is also customer centric so we can deliver the same excellent experiences, consistently. It’s also easier to train new employees in the same process when it’s clearly defined.
To help define a customer centric journey for your business, try answering these questions:
- Do you have a clear understanding of the needs of your customers and prospects (insights)?
- Do you have a clear focus on the resulting business value (impact)?
- Do you know what’s getting in the way, or what could be improved to meet the needs of your customers (issues/opportunities)?
- Have you, or can you design solutions that deliver both customer and organisational value (innovate)?
The customer centric journey definition process
The reason defining a customer centric journey is important is because it can provide you with a ‘road map’, a visual illustration of your customers’ pains, needs and perceptions throughout their interaction with you, all on one sheet of paper…
With the answers to my earlier questions in mind, take a look at the three key actions to help you deliver excellence to your customers in a consistent, predictable, profitable and routine manner.
1 – Map your customer journey
Brainstorm the desired transformation that you’d like to see, for example for your customers to refer you more often.
Create an initial map that focuses on areas like your current customer types, what characterises your brand and the personality behind it, the attitudes and emotions that your customers experience, and backend support. Can you research reviews and social media comments to find out more about what people say about your brand?
2 – Test it on your last five customers
Look at the real ‘moments that matter’ for your customers, and what the impact would be if you increased referral rates or reduced refund rates, for example. Examine the impact of processes such as billing, processing refunds, sending invoice etc.
3 – Final review and sign-off
Collaborate with your team on the final review and define a period of time to measure the results for. It’s worth designing a monitoring method to evaluate the changes you’ve implemented.
It is my intention and hope that by guiding you through the process of defining a customer centric journey, you will be able to understand your customer better and begin delivering excellence with ease. It should also help you effortlessly communicate an excellent customer experience to your team, your prospects and your referral partners alike.
If you feel ready to deliver excellence through new avenues, or if you’re not ready just yet, I’m here to help. Get in touch with me for a short free business consultation and we’ll work it out together.