JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
What is your definition of a positive customer experience?
Not too long ago, the answer to winning customers was in the quality of the product that was provided. Today, things have changed dramatically. Now an even more important element has worked its way to the surface of the list.
Do you know what it is? What separates a business or organization today is not only product quality, but the overall customer experience.
Let me explain a little further.
Top companies and businesses were surveyed and asked what the single most exciting opportunity for 2018 was. The results have shown the shift to win over customers is through customer experience. Companies are focusing and finding innovative ways to improve on their overall customer experience. This is why the customer’s experience came in first, beating out content and mobile marketing.
According to a recent study, by the year 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product. Is your organization prepared for this?
What is customer experience?
Customer experience is your customers’ perception of how a company or organization treats them during the exchange of goods and services. Over time, these perceptions affect their interpretation of the services you provide.
In other words, if your customers like you, they are going to continue business with you and perpetuate their experience with friends and family.
In order for your customers to like you, you should know them well enough to create and deliver a personalized experience that will strengthen their loyalty. Gaining in-depth knowledge about your customers isn’t something that happens overnight.
It’s not just about collecting customer data. It’s about doing something with that data and actively teasing out valuable insights and process improvements with pride and diligence.
It doesn’t matter what type of organization or service you’re in – improving your customer experience is key to keeping your customers happy and them returning with a smile.
Customer experience is the new battlefield
Most of us can recall a situation or two when we didn’t receive such great customer service as we should have. Can you recall how you felt afterwards?
As customers we internalize and summarize our experiences taking away the good and the bad. Therefore, if you want your customers to stay loyal, you must invest in the experience.
Where should you start?
The Interactive Customer Evaluation, or ICE program at Joint Base San Antonio is an established online platform to measure your customer service successes and trends. The ICE program even allows for you to generate reports and compare your organization to likewise organizations across the Department of Defense. ICE also operates in real time, so there is no delay in pulling reports or data.
Organizations that implement customer service projects or process improvements begin by focusing on ways to collect and analyze customer feedback. This is a great starting point for meeting or exceeding your customers’ expectations.
Customer frustration
What could happen if your organization falls short of providing a positive customer experience? Your customers may be frustrated and dissatisfied.
On average, if your customers are not satisfied, they will tell 15 or more people that they are unhappy and disappointed with the service they received.
On the other hand, approximately three out of four customers will share a positive experience with six or more people. Many customers mention bad experiences to family and friends as a reason for churn.
The lesson we can learn is that the absence of negative feedback is not a sign of satisfaction.
Understanding customer experience
Since approximately 90 percent of business are soon expected to compete mainly on customer experience, it’s vital your organization understands the importance of customer service. Those companies and organizations that take initiative will stand out amongst the crowd.
Once you know your customers well enough, use that knowledge to personalize your interactions. Customers now have more power and choice than ever before. We are all responsible for understanding and acknowledging their needs.
If you take the time to know your customers and provide a positive experience, you will drive loyalty. If you make sure your customer’s interaction with your organization is smooth, pleasant and continuously improving, you will also drive loyalty. If not, you’ll give your competitors the best gift – your customers.
The ICE program is a user-friendly tool any customer or organization can benefit from. The voice of our customer is valued and important. Remember we ourselves are ambassadors of customer service.
Are you ready to take your organization to the next level through feedback initiatives and innovation? Join the team of more than 350 ICE service providers across Joint Base San Antonio. Take that first step towards improving your customer experience.
For more information, call the JBSA ICE site administrator at 210-221-2543 or visit https://ice.disa.mil/.