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Harley-Davidson Raises the Bar on Customer Experience
When we think of customer experience, we think Disney, Apple, Starbucks, Virgin, and the Ritz-Carlton. But one company, Harley-Davidson, is about to surpass all these customer-centric leaders.
This year, the motorcycle company will unveil the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee, WI. The 130,000 square-foot building will be a celebration of the company’s history, the passion of the riders, and customer stories. It will feature a restaurant, café, retail shop, meeting space, and special events space. Also, so that the company’s loyal customers can connect with the museum, they have the opportunity to purchase a stainless steel rivet customized with their name to be mounted along a wall on the 20-acre property.
Now I know that Harley-Davidson boasts a loyal customer base. Its customers are really fans who build their lifestyles around the company’s products. But the museum will only enhance that connection by creating the ultimate experience--a mecca to its customers.
I recently spoke to James Gilmore and Joe Pine about their book Authenticity: What Customers Really Want, and they said that goods and services are no longer enough—people want experiences. As such, companies will shift their focus from just relying on delivering good services to building experiences. As a result, the experience culture will eventually become the predominant economic offering.
But this shift will first require creativity and innovation (you can’t deliver a unique experience without either of them). Harley-Davidson understands that, and I'm certain that its riders will travel from all over the world to pay homage.
Dan --
As you say, "just to set the record straight" -- a colleague in the speaking business sent me this link, and I just wanted you to know that "ALL Business is Show Business" was published by Nelson Business at the timeframe you mention -- however, work that I published regarding experiences as the driving factor in the economy were part of the public record many years prior to the work of Pine and Gilmore. (This was noted in several books, including Randy Pennington's bestseller "Results Rule" published by Wiley.) And, my "What Customers REALLY Want" was a #1 bestseller on Amazon well prior to the release of the Gilmore/Pine work of a similar title.
This certainly is not intended to be critical of the essential work of the esteemed duo. They wrote a terrific book that advanced the viewpoint in dramatic fashion.
However, I hope it's worth noting that while I had not "established" myself (in your term) via book publishing, I was presenting the topic of the "importance of the entertainment experience" 100 times a year to corporate and educational audiences as large as 20,000 dating back to 1983...including a keynote address to the National Speakers Association, where several of today's authors/speakers on the subject were in attendance for my presentation prior to their publication.
And...at the end of the day...I think most educated in the REAL roots of this subject would recognize that the passion that Tom Peters brought to both the platform and the page regarding "The Pursuit of WOW!" was the work that really got the ball rolling for ALL of us when it comes to this viewpoint.
Thanks for allowing me to "set the record straight."
Scott McKain
Pat,
Pine & Gilmore have written about Experiences since before McKain established himself. "The Experience Economy: Work is Theater and Every Business a Stage" was published in 1999, three years before McKain's "All Business is Show Business."
That said, they struggled to get the authenticity book out in a timely manner, as they have been pounding that drum for at least four years prior to its release.
Regardless, few people educated in the roots of experiences as a business imperative would argue with the originality and insight of their work in terms of defining the category.
Nothing against McKain, I'm sure his work is excellent. Just wanted to set the record straight.
Doug, those are great points. When I find out those answers I'll post them back here.
Thanks
Does anyone know whether Harley-Davidson will be treating current Harley owners any different than the general public? Have they built-in any exclusive perks? Are they charging admission to everyone? Charging their owners?
Talk about AUTHENTICITY... I read a book by Scott McKain called, "What Customers REALLY Want" that came out TWO YEARS before the Gilmore/Pine publication. And you know what? That book said exactly the same thing! I hope that not only you, but also my beloved Harley-Davidson friends would also question where they should get their info and who they would consider authentic. :-)