You understand the primary goal of any business is to acquire and retain customers. However, that task becomes difficult when you cannot consistently provide excellent service. It is a harsh reality that most business leaders must face. However, you might think your company is fantastic at delivering that, but is it? Would your customers agree with you?
According to a study by Bain & Company, 80% of companies believe they provide excellent service, but only 8% of their customers agree.
Yes, ONLY 8%. Scary right. Many of us are always far away from reality sometimes, and leaders and executives from the study are not exempted, either.
Now, back to real life, who is right? Well, I have some not-so-good news, but it is the customer. The customer is right because they are right. If you are going to argue that the customer is only sometimes right, we hear, but not in this case. Over 3,000 customers can't be wrong for no reason.
There are instances when that is the case, and I would agree with you, but not this one. If and when the customer is wrong, as a great service organization, it is still your responsibility to make them feel right. It is about how you make them feel, and you cannot afford to take a chance on the emotional needs of your customers. And that is where most companies are getting wrong regarding the service experience and why we have to address the findings from the study.
The single reason why this gap exists is simply due to the need for more awareness on the part of business leaders and executives. They have all forgotten one thing: Every business is in the perception business. Your customers' perception is your reality.
While leaders may understand the simple but not easy principle, where they fail miserably is transmitting it to their teams. So, the main reason this contrast exists between companies and what customers think is that most companies need to do more to help their teams see the same thing.
They have fallen into the common sense trap and expect their teams to get it without the proper training and education on the customer's needs, looking at things from the customer's perspective. While it may be simple, it is also challenging. It is not something that comes naturally to people, and the goal should be to help them have a glimpse into the lives of customers.
And how do you do that? How can you bring things to life?
There are various methods, such as role-playing, customer feedback sessions, mystery shopping, empathy training, and customer journey mapping, to train employees to see things from the customer's perspective.
These methods can help employees understand what customers experience while interacting with the company and how they can improve the customer experience. Continuous training and coaching can develop employees' skills to empathize and connect with customers even more. It is about helping employees understand Customers better so they are more intentional with every interaction. Once that happens, we can close the gap slowly, ensuring we consistently meet and exceed customer expectations to attract and retain more customers, increase profits, and stand out. But before you go, how would your Customers rate you and your brand on the service and experience you deliver?