Firms Slow in Delivering Better Customer Experiences
The concept of “good customer experience” has been around for a long time. Those of us involved in sales and marketing know the common phrases: ”Customers first” . . . “The customer is always right . . . .” ”100% satisfaction guaranteed!” Just because we say these words does not mean we actually live up to them. Case in point – a fast food chain you may have heard of . . .
In a recent Wall Street Journal article we discover that bad customer experience can disrupt even simplest of businesses – fast food/McDonald’s.
In reading this article you will find yourself saying “is that really true – REALLY??” How can companies run like this?
Here are a couple of examples:
- “The new leadership team has decided to focus on customer satisfaction as a real driver for us to build the brand and build sales . . .” – It makes one ponder: Was the old management team living in a cave?
- “We have got to be the leader in guest satisfaction . . .” Profound thinking for sure!
- Top customer complaint: ”rude or unprofessional employees”
- In drive-through service, McDonald’s averaged 188.83 seconds, Wendy’s clocked in at 129.75 seconds. In other words, you wait almost 50% longer at McDonald’s.
OK – I am done picking on McDonald’s. Their struggles do allow us to discuss the importance of customer experience. There is a gap between what firms say they want to do – and in reality what it actually happening. I spoke to a Gartner Research analyst today – and she told me that 70% of key executives they have surveyed named “improved customer experience” ad a top 5 priority at their firms. So why does this disparity exist? Firms know it is important, yet great customer experiences are rare indeed.
I have an explanation for the disparity. There is an old saying “talk is cheap, whiskey costs money”. It is easy to talk customer experience – you may even have an executive use the acronym CXM. Does not necessarily mean they are committed though. It just sounds good and play well in meetings, press releases, etc. TRUE CXM requires commitment. Commitment to technology. Commitment to human resources to manage the technology. Commitment to change archaic processes at your company. Committed to move forward with CXM even in the face of pushback by “the old guard”.
Improving Customer Experience Requires Company-Wide Commitment
Want to get better CXM at your firm. Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself: Are we COMMITTED? If the answer is not a definitive YES – then don’t waste your time. It will not happen without a top to bottom, company wide full blown commitment.
