Customer Experience Synonymous with Operating Strategy

When you hear the term “customer experience”, what is the first thing you think of? Many think of marketing or sales, but how many think of operating strategy? Others immediately think of the expense of running a customer service department. What is often missed is the growth potential and stability of adopting the customer experience into every operational function and decision.

This story on CRM.com discusses the subtle, but very important differences achieved in giving the customer experience a high profile in your day-to-day operations. Here are a few of the major points:

It is true that the customer experience has a lot to do with sales and marketing, but to limit it to these silos is to miss the larger point. Everyone in your organization is a touch point to the consumer.

It’s also true that the customer experience reflects the emotions or feelings of your consumers. However, there are also tangible elements like contract clarity, financial options, web support, or even something as simple as the ease of transporting your product.

There are those who believe customer experience is a “tradeoff to profitability.” This “necessary evil” attitude is misleading. A healthier viewpoint is to see your operations as a means to solving your customers’ problems. The better you can do this, the more profitable you will be.

The truth is that there is a grain of truth in every attitude toward the customer experience. The only trouble is that many of these approaches are incomplete. Try thinking of the customers’ need in all phases of your operation.