Monday, October 5, 2015

6 reasons why you don’t need Customer Experience

Is Customer Experience - CX - just the new buzzword around the block?
The right words to use at a new client presentation?
Just the new way to impress those on the panel for your next career move?
Do you really need it?
Maybe it’s not for your industry, your sector, your specialty, your domain.
Well, you know what? You may be right.
Here are 6 reasons why you don’t need Customer Experience.

1.       You don’t need customers
Strangely, for any business to survive, thrive or grow, you need customers. Now you could be inward-looking and wax eloquent about the benefits of your product or service but eventually you will have to go and find that one person who will buy it. That, dear seller, is your customer. And as luck would have it, that customer needs to buy your product as a start. (Let’s call him Customer A). So you do have a customer. Now would you want Customer A to come back? That is Point Two.

2.       You don’t need customers to come back
Your business is doing well. You have managed to sell your unique brand of services to Customer A. Wouldn’t you want him to remember you the next time he wanted similar services? Wouldn’t you want Customer A to buy more? Well. Enough said.

3.       You don’t need customers to buy more
You are on a growth path. It’s so convenient that Customer A bought up your entire gamut of services. Now you have a new lot of services. Doesn't  it make sense to tell Customer A about it? And help him help himself to some more?

4.       You don’t need more customers
While Customer A was in your store, in walked Customers X, Y and Z. While they did not buy as much as Customer A, they still did make your cash register ring. And the continuous ringing was melody to your ears.

5.       You don’t need customers to get more customers
Back to Customer A. On his way home he meets B and C for a drink. If he does remember you he talks about you. Next morning Customer C is knocking on your door. And this continues. Or doesn’t it? At least you wish it continues, don’t you?

6.       You don’t need customers to remember you
This again is a no-brainer. Why would you not want Customer A, B , C and X, Y and Z to remember you when they want the same product or service again? Why would you not want them to mention your name to someone else like Customer K who is seeking this kind of service? 

If all of the above seems too simplistic, it really is. I’ve stayed away from a lot of Customer Experience terminology – I could have peppered this with touch points, upsell, cross sell, retention, NPS and such, but the reason why I haven’t is because while Customer Experience needs to be explored in detail – what it rests on is a simple decision – to make Customer Experience an essential function in the organization.

Research has proved that organizations that opt for dedicated Customer Experience reap enormous benefits. It results in enhanced customer satisfaction, reduced churn, increased revenue, and greater employee satisfaction – to start with.

And if you just look at increased revenue as one of the benefits, then you have 6 reasons not to bother with Customer Experience and just about a million to get started with it!

What’s holding you back?


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