Enabling clarity so that people serving brands can maximize their influence in the marketplace
A few key factors influence consumer decisions prominently: convenience, brand reputation, price, referrals, and increasingly, customer experience. This quintet forms what I like to call the “sacred list” of customer priorities. Ignoring any of these can be detrimental to any business not protected by monopoly or oligopoly conditions.
Empathy is the cornerstone of a successful customer experience strategy. It underpins every decision made in the customer journey, from addressing pain points to implementing solutions that ease customer frustration. Without empathy, even the best-laid plans can fall apart when challenges arise.
Recently, the CEO of Nigerian Airline Air Peace Allen Onyema expressed concerns over international competitors lowering their prices to frustrate them out of business. This scenario prompts the question: Is price the only way to compete? Instead, focusing on what customers truly value—be it more generous luggage allowances, empathetic customer service, local delicacies, or unique concierge services—can differentiate an airline in a crowded market.
The success of an organization is often attributed to external factors such as market conditions, economic trends, and unforeseen challenges. While these elements undoubtedly play a role, it is essential to recognize that results depend more on what organizations do than on what the environment brings. To illustrate this point, let us delve into …
In today’s highly competitive business landscape, customer experience (CX) has emerged as a key differentiator for companies across industries … Customers come to businesses with certain expectations regarding the products or services they receive. Handling these expectations is crucial to building trust and establishing a long-term relationship with customers. Even if the solution to their problem is not immediately apparent, it is essential to reassure customers …
“Solving problems is very underrated skill in business. Most sales associate just want to sell an item and move on. They avoid resolving problems like it’s a pothole. Employers must also reward solving problems like they reward sales volumes. One of the many ways to brand loyalty is by handing and solving problems. And they usually come in form of mistakes, negligence and the like. The good thing is that customers will quickly forget your mistakes as soon as you resolve it”
Gone are the days when retailers could be content with one-off, transactional interactions with customers. The relationship between retailers and customers has evolved into a dynamic, two-way exchange, and it is crucial for retailers to take the lead in fostering this connection. While some customers may not actively seek this relationship, it is the retailer’s responsibility to initiate and nurture it.
Encourage your customers to share their experiences and feedback. User-generated content, such as reviews, photos, and testimonials, adds authenticity to your offerings. Highlight these on your platforms to show potential customers how real people are benefiting from your products and services.
In the business world, profit is undoubtedly crucial. But what if your relentless pursuit of profit starts eroding the very foundation upon which your business stands? When an organization becomes more profit-driven than solution-driven, it inadvertently becomes anti-customer. Here are some glaring signs that your brand might be heading down that perilous path and what you can do to steer it back on course.
It is disheartening to see how many individuals have become accustomed to poor service. They have grown so accustomed to receiving subpar treatment that they may even castigate those who stand up or speak out against it. This normalization of mediocrity perpetuates a cycle of complacency, preventing any meaningful change from taking place.