Customer service has been a long-standing concern for businesses of all sizes and in all markets. The interaction between you and your customers is an incredibly important piece to the puzzle that determines their overall experience. However, despite what some might think, customer service is not equivalent to customer experience. The experience that your customers have with your company goes far deeper than personal interaction, it is a compilation of the customer’s interaction with every aspect of your business.
Experience In a Nutshell
Experience is “the apprehension of an object, thought, or emotion through the senses or mind”. Customer experience, then, is the apprehension of your business created by the interaction with all touch points of your company. This includes all five senses and it begins with what they see. Sight is our most powerful sense; it is the one we rely on the most. From the colors used in your identity to the ambiance that your interior design creates, you are communicating who you are and what you stand for. Even more, you are dictating how you want your customers to feel.
It also includes many other things, such as who else is a member of your “tribe”. People want to feel as though they belong, and they want to be part of something bigger than themselves. The “tribe” that follows you should be made up of members of your exact target audience, given that you have successfully created an experience that appeals to them. If it is not, and a member of your target audience comes into your store only to find that they do not fit in, they will not return.
Why Is Customer Experience Important?
It isn’t just important, it is a vital element to the success of your business. Our experiences—our perceptions and understandings of the things surrounding us—accumulate to create our beliefs and opinions. Our opinions and beliefs determine our actions, and they also determine the “brand” (reputation) of all the companies that we either do or do not support.
The experience that your customers have with your business determines your brand. By controlling all touch points and interactions the customer has with your company, you are influencing their perceptions, beliefs, and your reputation.