Satisfaction Is Based On An Entire Experience, Not A Single Interaction
There is a lot to learn about doing CX right from our own everyday experience as consumers. If we pay close attention, the lessons are right in front of our eyes. The following story serves as a reminder of just how important the customer journey is and the need to measure satisfaction along the entire path. When a series of bad experiences outweigh the good, customers may not return.
The Disappointing Experience
As a holiday gift, I took my family to a local spa. My intention was to help everyone relax, including myself, to start off the New Year. The result did not go as planned.
- I wasn’t seen at my scheduled appointment time. The masseuse was late.
- The place was noisy. We heard people talking around our rooms during our treatments when we expected it to be quiet.
- The music playing in the background was not ideal. Soft melodies rotated with fast jazz. The latter did not aid in relaxation.
- There was too much of a hard sell to upgrade services. I felt like I was at a car dealership versus a spa.
- My family member was cheated in time. The facial ended earlier than the full 50 minutes paid for.
- My daughter ended up with a bad skin reaction. Painful red blotches appeared 30 minutes after leaving the place.
The Positive Moments
- The employees seemed well trained and knowledgeable during treatments.
- The masseuse upgraded my service at no charge for starting late. That was a smart CX move. I tipped her well to show my appreciation.
- The staff was genuinely concerned when I called about my daughter’s bad skin reaction. The manager invited her back immediately to rectify the situation. Also, the facialist personally called the next day to see how my daughter was feeling. Empathy goes a long way in business scenarios.
A Missed Customer Experience Opportunity
The spa managers never asked me or my family members for feedback about our experience. It’s unfortunate as we have many recommendations for improvements, and I am sure there are learnings from other customers that they will never know.
Because CX is my job and I care to help, I am proactively contacting the manager and sharing feedback so that the staff can implement changes where problems arose during our experience. Yet, not all customers will follow up like me. They will just leave and even worse, tell others not to visit the spa.
If you are a business owner or a leader at any size company, I encourage you to ask customers about their experience. Make it part of your business process, whether it be a written survey or calls after a customer visit. Without Voice of Customer insights and CX measurement, you are flying blind and sales will ultimately be impacted.
Learn how Voice of Customer (VOC) can be your game changer and how to apply best practices in my International book, available on Amazon. Read more about persona development and journey mapping to enhance your customer experience and keep them brand loyal.