R ecord-setting 10.1 million jobs opened in the United States last year . About 11.5 million workers quit just in the second quarter of 2021 . Forty-one percent of the global workforce would consider leaving their current employer within the next year . Fiftyfour percent of Gen Z are considering quitting .
When is the best time to invest in your customer experience ? Eighteen months ago . When is the second-best time ? Now !
Now is the time to make your organization ’ s customer experience your single biggest competitive advantage .
You and your company are either an expense that can be found cheaper somewhere else or one of the few businesses that customers can ’ t live without .
In order to be the brand customers can ’ t live without , you need to focus on creating an emotional connection on every interaction with your customers . Here are seven ways to create an emotional connection with your customers :
1 . Focus on the Micro Moments 2 . Address the Relationship Deficit 3 . Avoid Empathy Fatigue 4 . Make your Customers Feel Something 5 . Find the Conversation Gifts 6 . Utilize Relationship Hacks 7 . Justify a Relationship Tax
1 . FOCUS ON THE MICRO MOMENTS
Too many companies and employees think that if the results / outcomes are achieved , the customer will be happy . However , it is scientifically proven that outcomes have the least to do with customer loyalty . The order was accurate , my steak was prepared medium rare , my tooth no longer hurts . Those all better happen , but by themselves , results and outcomes are a commodity .
Customer loyalty is a result of consistently delivering on the micro moments , at each touch point , whether a customer calls , emails , checks in or needs support . Were your employees knowledgeable , empathetic , patient , passionate about their job , easy to do business with and willing to make it right ?
2 . ADDRESS THE RELATIONSHIP DEFICIT
Technology has made it easier for us to navigate through our busy lives , but it also erodes the fundamental element of human connections . When communicating digitally , often it can lack a human touch , which creates a sterile transaction and a lack of emotional connection . Today , being forced into a virtual world is adding to these unintended consequences , which we call a relationship deficit .
When we were forced to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic , people realized how much they crave human connection . Not being able to dine with friends , see family members or interact with co-workers put a strain on the human spirit . That is why the businesses that create emotional connections will dominate .
At John Robert ’ s Spas , the first business I started , some of the hair stylists are the most talented technicians on the planet . And there are others that are pretty good , but technically can ’ t hold a candle to the first group . Yet some of the less technically talented hair stylists are completely booked out for weeks , way more than the more talented ones . Why ? Because of their relationship-building skills .
3 . AVOID EMPATHY FATIGUE
Empathy fatigue usually occurs in industries that constantly deal with customers who have high emotional pain , like funeral homes , behavior therapy or oncology . However , with today ’ s world , every business is dealing with customers who have high stress and anxiety . This can cause our employees to feel emotionally and physically drained which leads to a diminished ability to empathize or feel compassion for others . That is why as leaders , we have to constantly be helping our employees reenergize , rejuvenate , feel appreciated and understand the critical role they play in their customer ’ s lives . This not only results in the customer feeling better but the employee will be less likely to burn out .
4 . MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS FEEL SOMETHING
The No . 1 best customer service experience we can provide is being a positive escape with every person we come in contact with . You have to create an emotional connection that ’ s so engaging and compelling that the customer literally feels something afterwards .
What drives today ’ s customers are emotions and feelings , some of which can ’ t be expressed in words and are triggered unconsciously . The most important element in customers choosing whom they buy from is how a brand makes them feel .
So how do you create such an experience and train your employees to provide it ? Examine every touch point in the customer journey to see if you have built in the feeling of “ cared for ” in the journey .
5 . FIND THE CONVERSATION GIFTS
It is all about finding the conversation gift . There is a gift in every conversation . If you look for it , you will see it . By now , most of you are familiar with FORD ( family , occupation , recreation and dreams ) and probably have implemented it in your business . Now more than ever , focusing on FORD during conversations , especially virtually , is critical and easy . This helps you find the conversation gift — professionally and personally . Let me show you how .
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