DECRYPTING...
The keys to building good experiences.
In previous publications we talked about consumption cycles and concluded that it appears that a significant group of consumers in Colombia may already be entering the experience consumption cycle.
Experiences can be consumed (lived) in both products (tangible) and services (intangible). Today, many products deliver experience through design or through interaction with other products.
Building experiences is key to consumption, since it is easier for specific technical information to be stored in the brain's long-term memory. All consumers remember their first time with a brand, as long as they can associate a relevant experience with it. For example: "The first time I went to sea, I traveled with Avianca" or "When I had an emergency, my SURA was there". Thus, it is the experience, not the message, that lasts over time.
Much has been written about customer service experience management, and I have found an approach that I think is relevant and practical, which is framed in 3 relevant aspects:
- Time savings (Value for time): Time has become one of the most valued assets for the consumer, especially because it cannot be recovered. The fact that it cannot be recovered generates great frustration in the customer, not only because of the extra time invested in a task, but also because of the impact it has on the relationship with other people. There is nothing more uncomfortable than apologizing for being late for a meeting or having to excuse oneself because a bank transaction took longer than usual. Today, what has happened is that it has become increasingly difficult for consumers to predict interaction times. For this reason, organizations that manage to provide this predictability to users will generate trust, peace of mind and respect from the customer.
- That they really solve the need (Helpfuness) : Beyond friendliness, there is the solution, with a friendly attitude, of the consumer's requirements. In Colombia, attention is regularly confused with service. In other words, being kind, without attending to the customer's needs, in the long run, only generates frustration and destroys relationships. Service goes beyond attention; it focuses on the solution and actual fulfillment of the customer's requirements, even when the customer is not entirely clear about them, because the experts are the companies and not the consumer.
- Customer recognition: Loyalty should be recognized and rewarded at key moments in the customer's life cycle. It is key that this recognition is not triggered only when the customer expresses an intention to withdraw or a dissatisfaction. There is nothing more discouraging than seeing a better offer for a new customer than for the current one (that's why they say that keeping current customers is cheaper than bringing in a new one). Seeing the value in the customer's time and not the transaction alone is the way to look for a recognition scheme according to each customer. The justice of value is in giving to each one what he/she deserves and not to everyone equally (always keeping high quality standards).
In conclusion, generating memorable experiences seems simple, but it is not: Save the customer's time, really solve what he needs and what he pays for, without forgetting the importance of permanently recognizing him as valuable. That's the way.
RAFAEL LOPEZ LLAMAS
GENERAL MANAGER
BRANDSTRAT.