Strategy

If purpose weren’t crucial, Fortune 500 companies wouldn’t be leveraging it so effectively. We previously highlighted examples such as Tesla and Patagonia, which have grown significantly guided by their clear, compelling purposes. However, having a well-crafted purpose is just the beginning. To truly win in the marketplace, organisations must go beyond words and ensure that purpose drives every action and decision.

The Introspection Phase is not necessarily more important than the other phases, but it is critical because it reflects the culmination of the entire customer journey. A positive reflection can lead to organic and sustainable business growth. Often, satisfied customers skip the first two phases for new customers through strong word-of-mouth, creating a multiplier effect. 

The cornerstone of any successful customer experience strategy is a thorough understanding of your customers. Who are they? Have their needs evolved? Are there any neglected segments that should be reconsidered or explored? These questions are vital as they inform the rest of your strategy. Knowing where your customers are in the buying phase, what they are trying to achieve, and where they typically research for solutions helps tailor your approach to meet them right where they are. 

Designing the Experience: Three Key Phases

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. 

Being customer-centric translates to loving your customers, treating them with the empathy and regard you would appreciate being shown, or indeed, as they wish to be treated. This involves a thorough analysis of customer journey maps and the design of systems, products, and processes informed by their feedback. At D&I Consulting, we uphold the belief that outcomes are more heavily influenced by our actions than by external circumstances. It is a recurring observation that businesses experiencing stagnation or decline often exhibit a prolonged neglect of customer-centric practices, leading to challenges in attracting repeat and new business.

As I recently journeyed through the bustling streets of Lekki and Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria, a myriad of advertisements from billboards to lamp post banners, and, most prominently, on various social media platforms, caught my eye. These adverts, vibrant and relentless in their pursuit of consumer attention, ignited a thought: Are we, as creators and disseminators of these messages, truly adhering to the fundamental tenets of advertising?

This journey typically encompasses several phases: inquiry, consideration, purchase intent, and in some cases, recurring use for subscription-based services. 

For instance, a customer showing interest in iPhone 15 is not looking for information on the entire range of Apple products. They are seeking specifics about the various models of that phone – from memory capacity to unique features. Recognizing and responding to this intent with precision is key.