During childhood, we learn in a group atmosphere. Just as we learned to socialize while also developing necessary life skills, businesses must now cultivate their social skills in order to learn how to best serve their customers.
Read more »
There are some matters that are beyond our control. No matter how hard we strive for the perfect customer experience, certain unexpected factors come into play--factors beyond the company's or brand's control, in fact.
Read more »
Sitcom kids from past generations always had a goal in mind. Whether it was Wally and the Beav or Dennis the Menace, they took on after-school and weekend jobs to earn just a few extra pennies so they could afford whatever the episode happened to revolve around that day. They learned the principles of hard work and the value of a dollar. But today, there are far too many teens who care more about when their shift is over than
Read more »
We live in the land of make believe. We pretend to "go shopping," but we never leave our chairs. We fill "bags" with items, but there are no handles to carry. Yet, once we click the purchase button, much like the wave of a wand, these products magically appear 7-10 business days later.
Read more »
Human beings have the propensity to give, but often lack the follow through. Filling out paper or online forms to make a donation or volunteer can become a chore that discourages the generous from giving both their time and money. But as mobile devices become more widespread, charities and other organizations are also working to branch out, developing techniques that cater to the digital age.
Read more »
Even when in public, everyone still seeks comfort in the right to privacy. But for us ladies, "rest" rooms can be the unsettling sore spot of the overall customer experience.
Read more »
Each day, airlines connect thousands of travelers with hundreds of distant destinations. They carry customers from one place to another, often forgetting they are not just passengers, but are people, too. However, for JetBlue, connecting with customers has become a priority at touchpoints throughout the trip cycle. Particularly, JetBlue's advertising initiatives show that the airline cares about each individual customer's experience, not just how the airline is perceived.
Read more »
Parents always tell their children to disregard what others think--to march to the beat of their own drum. But for businesses across the board, from fledglings to old timers, consideration of how others perceive the company's products and services can mean the difference between success and failure. One way many companies are getting insight into that perception is by asking how likely customers are to refer friends or associates.
Read more »
Community brings people together, uniting them based on their common bonds. With social outlets readily available all across the Internet, connecting with likeminded individuals is merely a click away. Yet, while most companies focus on the company/customer side of social engagement, many neglect to embrace customer interactions with other customers as a means to enhance the customer experience.
Read more »
Customers may seem high maintenance, but in fact their high expectations are warranted. Every penny counts in today's economy, so consumers worldwide have come to expect nothing but the best from the companies they choose to purchase from. They expect only the best possible customer experience available, and rightfully so, says Bruce Temkin, managing partner at Temkin Group.
Read more »
Often, while browsing the Internet, I notice advertisements that pertain directly to items or topics I've just searched. When shopping at the mall, I'll suddenly receive an email that connects me with an offer for the very store I just left. The eerie wave of awareness stops me dead in my tracks and I wonder, where is Big Brother and how does he know my every move?
Read more »
Business moves quickly, leaving no time to waste. Technology has hastened our pace, providing easy access to a plethora of information wherever we go. But for all the data we receive, we give back to marketers ten-fold. Every click, every scroll, every check-in point is another morsel of data that tells marketers who we are, where we go, and what we want. Whether B2B or B2C, all interactions mark a plot point on the roadmap to future relationships.
Read more »
With the tune of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "Shop Around" pulsating throughout their collective subconscious, the majority of consumers plan to hunt for deals this holiday season. Dwindling household incomes and the stagnant unemployment rate have left many consumers clinging to every coin, deliberating every dollar spent-and heading to the social sphere to search for seasonal sales.
Read more »
Customers may not always be right, but they always deserve a timely response to their queries. Companies that today ignore their customers will find it's a practice fewer and fewer consumers will tolerate--especially in the age of social customer, where consumers will not only share information with scores of other consumers, but they can also more and more easily find who to contact to get their issues resolved.
Read more »
Though the age-old conundrum has had millions fighting an inconclusive battle for decades, we may never figure out which came first, the chicken or the egg. All we can truly agree upon is that, without one, the other simply could not exist. Much like their notorious counterparts, companies and customers have developed a cyclical codependence that makes it hard to tell where one leaves off and the other begins.
Read more »
