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Companies urged to focus on both customer and employee experiences

June 29, 2020
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Companies urged to focus on both customer and employee experiences

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For years, the customer has been king. Companies have collected as much data as possible about their clients in the hope of providing them with great experiences and keeping them loyal.

However, firms that want to be successful and grow their profits should be considering both Customer Experiences (CX) and Employee Experiences (EX), argues Matt Egol, a principal with PwC in New York and a leading digital strategist. “There will come a day when most companies connect CX and EX, and think and act in terms of a unified return on experience,” he predicts.

"They will have the data, the tools, and the expertise to understand which customer experiences to focus on when and where, and which employee behaviours can best elevate those experiences."

“For those companies’ shareholders, that will be a very good day indeed.” That’s revolutionary thinking. Most firms believe that employees are only there to serve the customer. They are considered to be expendable – if one staff member quits in frustration, he or she can be easily replaced by another. For Egol, the customer and employee are both essential players.

In addition, Egol suggests that companies that are still using the Net Promoter Score model of measuring customer satisfaction are out of date.

The Net Promoter Score assesses customer loyalty and categorizes people into three groups:

  1. Promoters: (9 to 10 score)

    Loyal enthusiasts who spread the word about your products and services

  2. Passives: (7 to 8 score)

    Satisfied customers who are vulnerable to competitor offerings

  3. Detractors: (0 to 6 score)

    Unhappy clients who may speak ill of you to friends and on social media

The Net Promoter Score averages the scores of your customers. A result of 100 means every customer is a promoter. A score of -100 indicates that all of your customers are detractors (and your business is in big trouble).

Egol suggest that the NPS is too backward-looking and just a snapshot

He proposes that firms need a measure of CX that allows them to fix problems in real time.

Great customer service helps generate valuable word of mouth advertising

June 29, 2020
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Great customer service helps generate valuable word of mouth advertising

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"Word of mouth is the oldest form of advertising, but it's also the most effective by a long shot."

– Terry O’Reilly, Host of the Radio Program Under the Influence

Word of mouth is your best promotion

There are two reasons why word of mouth is the best way to promote your products/services and attract new customers:

  1. People trust recommendations from friends and family. So word of mouth will help you gain more customers than posting a photo on Instagram or running an ad online.
  2. It costs you nothing. Zip. Nada. You don’t need a huge marketing budget with a complicated strategy to hit multiple type of media. You simply let your customers do the talking.

The question is...

How do you generate word of mouth promotion for your business? One of the keys is outstanding customer service. In his Under the Influence radio program, Terry O’Reilly uses the example of the home-building industry.

The typical home builder generates about 6-8 percent of sales through word of mouth referrals. However, one company sells 48 percent of homes to people who heard about the builder from existing customers. That’s six times higher than the average home builder!

How does this company do it?

Superior customer service.

For example, they send packing boxes to families a few weeks before their moving date. And on the day of the move they have a pizza delivered to the house, knowing that the family will be too busy and tired to cook.

Of course, it’s not enough to simply say that you offer great customer service. You have to actually do it – every single day. And you need to be able to track customer satisfaction and must quickly fix a problem when something goes wrong.

That’s where ExperienceStream™ comes in. We would love to chat about how our powerful software can help you to monitor customer satisfaction and deliver great service – every single day. And get word of mouth working for you.

Why survey requests on receipts don’t work and what to do about it

June 29, 2020
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Why survey requests on receipts don't work and what to do about it

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"Here's the problem with a survey on a receipt. You're telling me to carry this receipt around all day and go home and go online and fill it out?"

– Scott Stratten, author of Unmarketing and believer in Stop Marketing, Start Engaging

Businesses can't base changes on few responses

Companies that put a link to a survey on a customer receipt get a meagre response rate of 3 percent. That’s dismal. Businesses need data to improve customer service, but with such a  low uptake, the information collected is just not very useful. 

Links on receipts are just too much work for customers. They have to hold on to the receipt and remember to take the survey when they get home. Then they have to type in the survey URL and the survey code. It’s cumbersome – and no surprise that only a few customers bother to answer. 

You can’t make changes and improvements to your business based on the comments of a handful of customers. Nobody knows if their opinions reflect your market. 

The alternative?

Retailers and restaurants should set up an electronic survey near the cash to gather customer feedback on the spot. It’s quick and easy.

And that’s exactly what ExperienceStream™ kiosk, organizations can quickly find out how customers viewed their experience. It takes users just a few seconds to answer – no fumbling with paper receipts required.

The result?

A response rate of up to 27 percent. That's nine times what you can expect from old-fashioned receipt surveys.

Best of all, you will get plenty of data to improve customer service and meet client expectations. For more information about ExperienceStream™, please contact us at 1.844.825.8325.

How bricks and mortar stores can fight back against online shopping

December 3, 2019
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How bricks and mortar stores can fight back against online shopping

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In Canada, online shopping currently accounts for only about one in ten purchases. However, internet sales are growing at a rate of 20 percent annually so retailers need to act quickly to stem the tide.
Here are some tips on how retailers can not only maintain their existing sales but also find new markets and opportunities.

Wonderful customer experiences are key

There are still plenty of people who prefer to shop at stores. It’s easier to try on clothes at a retail store and you can squeeze the vegetables at a supermarket to make sure they are fresh.

Most importantly, retailing provides shoppers with an opportunity to ask questions, gather advice and learn more about a product. So it’s vital that your team members are well-trained and ready to provide amazing customer service.

Consider offering some special events at the store to draw people in. If you run an art shop, you could organize an evening with music and appetizers. A running equipment store could feature a presentation with advice from a local physiotherapist about staying injury-free.

Customer preferences are constantly evolving. So be sure to regularly gather feedback about what your clients are looking for. Quality data leads to quality ideas and great outcomes.

If you can’t beat them, join them!

Only 28 percent of small businesses offer internet shopping. Small retailers can embrace e-commerce, giving consumers the option of buying online or coming into the store. These days it’s not that difficult to set up an online store using tools like Shopify. Or you can take advantage of existing systems like Amazon, e-Bay or Etsy.

Not only does this provide local consumers with an online alternative, it also allows retailers to expand their markets geographically. For example, a pottery shop can promote its wares online and ship beautiful artwork anywhere in North America. A specialty sporting goods store can send clothing and equipment to people who may not have a similar store in their community.

Build long-term relationships with customers

Creating a loyal client base is the key to a successful business. You need to work hard to get your customers coming back again and again. Of course, you must build solid personal relationships when people come into your store. In addition, you can leverage online opportunities to support your retail business. Create a mailing list and send out a regular newsletter with helpful tips, special events at the store and sale prices. Engage your clients on social media and answer any questions they may have.

The times they are a changing

Yes, retailers are under pressure and need to be creative. But it can be done. By embracing new marketing ideas and leveraging online opportunities, retailers can not only stay alive but also thrive.