The Quickie Internal Customer Experience Diagnosis
The Quickie Internal Customer Experience Diagnosis
Your experience is your brand.
A differentiated customer experience is the only way to gain a sustainable competitive advantage.
You’ve heard it all before because someone like me has written it and you’ve read it. Or vice versa. And it all makes sense and is quite logical, and many companies are engaging outside consultants or creating cross-departmental internal teams to gauge their readiness for the experience economy and fill the gaps where they are clearly leaking goodwill.
On the flip side, many aren’t. The financially blessed may be too preoccupied making money hand over fist to take an inward glance at their customer experience. The strategically myopic may not have committed the resources – political or financial – to shine a light on their business from the customer’s point of view. For whatever the reason, if you find yourself and your company in either of these two groups, you are clearly behind in the race to win the hearts and minds of the “experience economy” consumer. SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Relax. Don’t do anything rash like blowing up departmental silos, empowering your staff, integrating your technology or any other number of clichéd customer experience remedies. Do you want a window into the soul of your customer experience without hiring outside counsel to analyze it for you? Here’s a quick-and-dirty internal diagnostic that you can conduct just by observing your colleagues and asking one simple question.
How does your organization treat the salespeople that call on you, day in and day out?
Are they treated like pariahs or like potential customers. Are they ignored, given the run around and routed into voicemail purgatory or do they receive a prompt, courteous call back because…well, everyone does! If you recognize your company in one category or the other, then you’ve successfully completed the diagnostic. If you identify with the latter scenario, then congratulations are in order. Chances are the respect and responsiveness you show the salesperson is reflective of the values of your organization and how they are put into practice. Typically, this positive manifestation of your corporate DNA can’t help but leach into the external interactions you have with your customers…and the customer relationships that you strengthen at each of these interactions.
If the former sounds more like your organization, then...your customer relationships are suffering and you’ve got some work to do.
But they’re just salespeople, you say. Bottom-feeders in the corporate food-chain, impervious to insult and years of biological evolution. They almost expect to run the gauntlet of disregard and disrespect.
While the last statement may be true (what good salesperson doesn’t relish a good “how-I-slew-the-evil-gatekeeper” fairy tale), it’s no excuse for the way this treatment represents your brand internally and almost certainly compromises it externally. Though you may think organizationally you can “turn-on” a customer-centric approach when faced with an actual customer, chances are your treatment of the salesperson is more reflective of your natural state of being. A leopard doesn’t change its spots, and a company willing to brush one “nuisance” under the rug…doesn’t change its spots either.
Please don’t mistake this for an unequivocal “be nice to salespeople” paean, as you are actually doing a service by ignoring those who call on you without a clue for how their offering may benefit your company. Nor should you confuse it for a comprehensive measure of the customer experience your company is prepared to deliver. Think of it as a home pregnancy test for the customer experience – it’s not foolproof, but it is a pretty good indicator that either a.) you’re going to have a baby in nine months or b.) your company is internally wired to provide a positive customer experience.
Full disclosure time. I am employed by a consultancy that works with clients on their “customer experience,” from initial assessment to the full design and implementation of the “optimal” customer experience, whatever that may be. (People shouldn’t take this whole quickie internal diagnostic thing toooo seriously, or my CEO might have issues with this article!) Take it from me - there is no greater death knell in the sales process than when a company promptly returns a phone call or replies to an email. Chances are…they don’t need our help.
The companies that have returned my phone calls immediately – and have never become clients - reads like the Dean’s List from Customer is King University. Disney. Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Southwest Airlines. Need I go on? And this is a call from a no-name representative from a no-name consulting firm in Suburban Philadelphia - not Bill Deloitte or Jimmy McKinsey.
There’s an old joke that gets a workout on the rubber-chicken banquet circuit about the general low esteem in which the sales profession is held. The general premise is that a salesman walks uninvited into an office, only to be confronted with a sign that reads “We shoot every 3rd Salesman…and the 2nd just left.” Amusing, to be sure, and (hopefully) an exaggeration of the literal treatment of salespeople in corporate America.
Unfortunately, however, it probably is reflective of a prevailing attitude in the C-suite, and one which can’t help but undermine all of the time, energy, thought and resources being poured into the “experience economy.” Don’t think you can line up salesman in the cross-hairs…and in the same motion give your customers a hug. Your customers and prospects will sense the presence of unfriendly fire and seek their big, warm customer experience hug elsewhere.
The Quickie Internal Customer Experience Diagnosis - To learn more about this author, visit Zachary Conen's Website.
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A great deal of ink has been spilled in this publication about the onset and arrival of the “experience economy.” Tell me if you’ve heard this before.
Your experience is your brand.
A differentiated customer experience is the only way to gain a sustainable competitive advantage.
You’ve heard it all before because someone like me has written it and you’ve read it. Or vice versa. And it all makes sense and is quite logical, and many companies are engaging outside consultants or creating cross-departmental internal teams to gauge their readiness for the experience economy and fill the gaps where they are clearly leaking goodwill.
On the flip side, many aren’t. The financially blessed may be too preoccupied making money hand over fist to take an inward glance at their customer experience. The strategically myopic may not have committed the resources – political or financial – to shine a light on their business from the customer’s point of view. For whatever the reason, if you find yourself and your company in either of these two groups, you are clearly behind in the race to win the hearts and minds of the “experience economy” consumer. SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Relax. Don’t do anything rash like blowing up departmental silos, empowering your staff, integrating your technology or any other number of clichéd customer experience remedies. Do you want a window into the soul of your customer experience without hiring outside counsel to analyze it for you? Here’s a quick-and-dirty internal diagnostic that you can conduct just by observing your colleagues and asking one simple question.
How does your organization treat the salespeople that call on you, day in and day out?
Are they treated like pariahs or like potential customers. Are they ignored, given the run around and routed into voicemail purgatory or do they receive a prompt, courteous call back because…well, everyone does! If you recognize your company in one category or the other, then you’ve successfully completed the diagnostic. If you identify with the latter scenario, then congratulations are in order. Chances are the respect and responsiveness you show the salesperson is reflective of the values of your organization and how they are put into practice. Typically, this positive manifestation of your corporate DNA can’t help but leach into the external interactions you have with your customers…and the customer relationships that you strengthen at each of these interactions.
If the former sounds more like your organization, then...your customer relationships are suffering and you’ve got some work to do.
But they’re just salespeople, you say. Bottom-feeders in the corporate food-chain, impervious to insult and years of biological evolution. They almost expect to run the gauntlet of disregard and disrespect.
While the last statement may be true (what good salesperson doesn’t relish a good “how-I-slew-the-evil-gatekeeper” fairy tale), it’s no excuse for the way this treatment represents your brand internally and almost certainly compromises it externally. Though you may think organizationally you can “turn-on” a customer-centric approach when faced with an actual customer, chances are your treatment of the salesperson is more reflective of your natural state of being. A leopard doesn’t change its spots, and a company willing to brush one “nuisance” under the rug…doesn’t change its spots either.
Please don’t mistake this for an unequivocal “be nice to salespeople” paean, as you are actually doing a service by ignoring those who call on you without a clue for how their offering may benefit your company. Nor should you confuse it for a comprehensive measure of the customer experience your company is prepared to deliver. Think of it as a home pregnancy test for the customer experience – it’s not foolproof, but it is a pretty good indicator that either a.) you’re going to have a baby in nine months or b.) your company is internally wired to provide a positive customer experience.
Full disclosure time. I am employed by a consultancy that works with clients on their “customer experience,” from initial assessment to the full design and implementation of the “optimal” customer experience, whatever that may be. (People shouldn’t take this whole quickie internal diagnostic thing toooo seriously, or my CEO might have issues with this article!) Take it from me - there is no greater death knell in the sales process than when a company promptly returns a phone call or replies to an email. Chances are…they don’t need our help.
The companies that have returned my phone calls immediately – and have never become clients - reads like the Dean’s List from Customer is King University. Disney. Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Southwest Airlines. Need I go on? And this is a call from a no-name representative from a no-name consulting firm in Suburban Philadelphia - not Bill Deloitte or Jimmy McKinsey.
There’s an old joke that gets a workout on the rubber-chicken banquet circuit about the general low esteem in which the sales profession is held. The general premise is that a salesman walks uninvited into an office, only to be confronted with a sign that reads “We shoot every 3rd Salesman…and the 2nd just left.” Amusing, to be sure, and (hopefully) an exaggeration of the literal treatment of salespeople in corporate America.
Unfortunately, however, it probably is reflective of a prevailing attitude in the C-suite, and one which can’t help but undermine all of the time, energy, thought and resources being poured into the “experience economy.” Don’t think you can line up salesman in the cross-hairs…and in the same motion give your customers a hug. Your customers and prospects will sense the presence of unfriendly fire and seek their big, warm customer experience hug elsewhere.
The Quickie Internal Customer Experience Diagnosis - To learn more about this author, visit Zachary Conen's Website.
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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