You cannot create a customer experience that strengthens your brand without focus and consistency.

Amazon is a great example. Their ecommerce business was built on ease and reliability: simple ordering, prompt delivery, hassle free returns. Consistent reliable service. 

This means there’s a lot of things they don’t do. They aren’t sexy. They aren’t emotional. You don’t feel like part of a tribe. Just easy and reliable — over and over and over again.

There’s a crucial point here. CX improvements can exist on paper, but that isn’t what matters. What matters is whether those improvements are focused enough to be noticeable, and reinforced consistently enough to build strong associations between desirable qualities and your brand.

One of the reasons CX programs often fail to deliver meaningful returns is because the improvements they make are too diffuse. They are not focussed enough for customers to even notice them, let alone strengthen the brand. They try to do too many things at once. They are all over the map.

You need to have the courage to define a crystalline experiential signature and say no to everything else – to commit to being known for just one or two things. Otherwise you’re probably just throwing money away. 

There's a simple acid test. Just ask yourself “What do we want to be known for?” If you don’t know, if your colleagues don’t know, or if there’s no agreement, focus or clarity you must attack this issue as a priority.

The Leader’s Guide to Customer Experience explains this opportunity and many, many more. Link in the comments!

#customerexperience #cx

See this post on LinkedIn