Risk & Business Magazine Sterling Insurance Spring 2017

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BY: JOHN DIJULIUS PRESIDENT, THE DIJULIUS GROUP Customer Service Vs. Customer Experience Knowing The Difference T hink about the last time you were running through an airport, headed to the gate to catch a plane. You stopped at the store to grab a magazine, snack and water. The cashier said hello, scanned the items you were purchasing, told you the amount you owed, took your payment, put your items in a bag, gave you your receipt and thanked you. Was it bad? Not at all, it was a typical transaction that would repeat itself at 99.9% of stores you visited. Was it a memorable experience? No, that purchase will never cross your mind again. So how do you know if you received an ‘Experience’ or just a ‘Service’? How do you know if you have delivered an ‘Experience’ or just a ‘Service’. People use these words interchangeably. Is Customer Service the same as Customer Experience from an interactional standpoint? That is what this article will define: What’s the difference between someone providing a ‘Service’ versus an ‘Experience’? Let’s break them down and see. WHAT WORDS & ACTIONS COME TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF ‘SERVICE’? Service is delivering the product or service as requested. We expect it to be on time, accurate, professional, as promised. It is reacting to a Customer’s request. It must be delivered, not optional; it is what the Customer is paying for, and the 10 bare minimum. A service by itself is not unique; every one else is doing it, which makes it a commodity. A service is not memorable unless parts are done wrong or omitted. It is a transaction, unmemorable. The moment the ‘Service’ is complete, the Customer will never think about it again. WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD ‘EXPERIENCE’? An ‘Experience’ conjures up so many different things. ‘Experience’ evokes a reaction, a feeling; it is unique, uncustomary, and it sparks emotional senses. ‘Experience’ is by design, anticipatory, evokes a reaction, and is distinct. ‘Exp

Risk & Business Magazine Sterling Insurance Spring 2017 | Page 10