As businesses close and life as we know it comes to a halt due to COVID-19, many of us are beginning to realize just how much we depend on various services we use including restaurants, dry cleaners, and gyms. Along with the uncertainty and fears of COVID-19, our inability to access these services can create anxiety. Many businesses that provide services are thinking creatively to offer alternatives for their customers. Gyms are coming out with home workouts and other tips for staying healthy during this time. Dry cleaners are offering free pickup and delivery. Restaurants that have not typically offered...
In 2010, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) published a now-famous article titled “Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers.” In that article, HBR conducted a study on customer satisfaction and introduced us to the concept of customer effort. Customer Effort Score (CES) measures customer perceptions on how difficult (or easy) it is to do business with a company. How can companies use CES? Companies can measure CES in a few different ways. The most common way is a simple survey question asking customers to rate the ease of solving their issue on a scale of very difficult to very easy, like...
We all love getting the VIP treatment from businesses, especially if we are loyal customers. It makes us feel like we’re valued customers. Businesses treat us like VIPs when they are trying to win our business. Unfortunately, that treatment fades pretty quickly once we become a customer. I’ve been a long-time customer of my cable company and recently contacted them three times over the course of a couple of months to talk about ways to reduce my monthly bill. I even told them I had a better offer from a competitor and if we couldn’t get close to that offer,...
Over the last few months, I have become a regular morning customer at a Starbucks near my office. The morning shift has the same core baristas who give me a friendly greeting when I walk in. They also know my usual order and have it ready by the time I get to the register! It’s a delightful experience and makes me feel special! They know me! Basic human psychology shows that when we experience something that makes us feel good, we make positive associations about it. There are several coffee shops around my office I can choose from. But, I...
Consistently providing great service was the foundation that made my businesses successful. Continuous communication and training ensured all employees deeply understood our customer service culture. I believe that all customer feedback is good, including feedback about problems. That is valuable information we can use to improve. In fact, a problem handled quickly and effectively often results in a more loyal customer. So, it amazes me when I interact with businesses that don’t seem to care and in fact, ignore customers. I had a bad experience with an upscale restaurant and sent in a web form about the situation. A month later,...
