service , why are they not renewing ? Why is there little loyalty and retention despite a well mapped out CX journey ? This is the reality of many organizations that believe they deliver a more superior CX than they actually do and this also has a significant impact on the AX and EX .
The perception chasm can be caused by a number of factors which may directly influence this thinking . First , ignorance - the fact that we do not know what we have never seen or experienced . Burying an ostrich head in the sand is often caused by a lack of pre-CX journey measurement . This is a vital aspect of the success of the customer .
Many organizations will not measure this piece , and this may have an impact on the medium to long term success of customer retention . The fact that many marketing professionals may not know why or how to carry out this evaluation is one reason , but a lack of baseline data may also be another reason that deters pre-evaluation . We all know that customer preferences are especially fluid , and this is an important part of the success of mapping out the CX journey .
Information gaps within the CX journey may also exist . If the organization does not know for certain what they are doing wrong , they will be unable to fix it . The AX has an impact on this and asking non-customers as well as potential-customers what may deter them from converting to customers can be a valuable addition to the CX journey . This is because the existing customers may also face the same challenges and
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Besides the fans , all other stakeholders need to be considered in the Audience Experience to drive Customer Experience . The audience we are most familiar with is the employee . We all agree that good employee experience drives good CX .
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As the people who drive and influence the CX journey , we must be able to take the feedback and separate reasons from excuses . There can be a reason why something was not done right but that is an excuse that should be followed with a concrete resolution .
retention becomes a problem , often times an expensive one to fix . Additionally , when a customer encounters a touchpoint at a different time and place from your desired journey , the organizations plan must be the one to adapt . This also has the potential to cost the company time and money .
Companies that believe that they have a superior customer experience than their peers also suffer from denial and avoidance . They may fail to accept criticism and opt to target customers that will fit into their CX scope . These may seem like the right customers but a company that does not put the customer first will eventually have to bite the bullet . As the people who drive and influence the CX journey , we must be able to take the feedback and separate reasons from excuses . There can be a reason why something was not done right but that is an excuse that should be followed with a concrete resolution .
Ignoring situations also often usually leads to little success . We are all familiar with the statement that one disappointed customer is your greatest advocate against the brand . Disappointed customers will tell all the wrong people about their poor customer experience . While brands should be open to criticism , they should also allow customers to give them positive reviews about their service at every touchpoint using evaluation and rating tools post experience . These are readily available and can be done at POS , via email , text , online surveys and in a way that makes it painless for the customer .
A customer ’ s expectation is not entirely in the control of the organization and is always changing . A brand Promise audit can also help businesses align their AX and CX . When your brand promise is clear at both ends of the experience , customer conversion and retention becomes easier and more pleasant . Thoughtful messaging is essential but not always 100 % effective . Set expectations in the areas you can control and inform about those you cannot . Saying your customer service is the best for example is a prescriptive statement that has the potential to land you in trouble with fans , followers and customers as they all have different experiences with the brand at the different touchpoints .
Good CX experiences do not happen by chance . They are deliberate and intentional steps to integrate the right messages and experiences into a nimble process to create a journey that integrates both professional knowledge and customer feedback . A deep dive into the AX should form an integral part of the CX journey to avoid challenges that can be avoided once acquisition has happened .
Boosting retention and repeat behavior becomes difficult if the wrong quality of customer is onboarded in the first instance . These must however be considered in the context of both the macro and microenvironments within which the business operates . A luxury brand will view this journey different from a mass market brand . Asking individuals to describe their own processes may add value to the process as you will allow audiences to define their own ideal AX and CX experience particularly in a world where customer loyalty is declining .
Existing customers may purchase and use a product or service regularly but may never want to receive news on offers , promotions or any service-related issues at all . They may opt to contact the company when they have an issue . The growing user privacy laws have put more power into the hands of consumers and companies must also be cognizant of these factors .
The customer is also the audience in some of these instances and that is what makes it critical to have a nexus between the AX and CX .
Diana Obath is a seasoned Public Relations and Communications Specialist . You can commune with her on this or related issues via mail on : ObathD @ gmail . com .