The Human Connection

We have all experienced it. Already flustered from dissatisfaction with a purchased service or product, we turn to a company’s associates for help, only to be met by indifference, rudeness or a memorized response that does not address our real needs. Not only does the poor response anger us in the moment, it threatens our loyalty to and positive impression of the brand.

Humans are emotional by nature.  Brands across all industries commit dangerous customer service mishaps by failing to recognize the importance of emotions, or the human connection, in customer engagement. While customer experience may be viewed by some business leaders as a small element of a brand’s strategy or reputation, in reality it is critically important.

In fact, how a customer is treated is the key factor in brand perception and satisfaction according to new research from AchieveGlobal.  Simply stated, no matter how much effort a brand puts into marketing, advertising, appearance and promotions, all efforts can quickly be derailed by a poor customer experience.

Understanding the Seven Sins of Customer Experience

Many organizations underestimate the importance of the customer experience and the role emotion plays in the delivery of superior service. In fact, the research reveals the behaviors most irritating to customers stem from a lack of emotional awareness and connection. To avoid alienating customers through bad service, businesses of all kinds should be vigilant of the seven major customer experience failures:

1. Neglecting Your Customer Satisfaction Scores. Organizations should zealously measure their brand promoters (loyal consumer advocates) versus passives (indifferent consumers) and detractors (consumers with negative perceptions of the organization). This metric provides a pulse on an organization’s customer experience reputation. Understanding what drives promoters can help organizations better tailor their customer experience to expectations. With the report finding that nearly 40 percent of respondents worldwide admitted to posting a negative review online after a poor customer experience, it’s essential that brands minimize their passives and detractors, while empowering and growing their promoters.
2. Dropping the Ball on a Defining Moment. Every customer interaction presents an organization with the opportunity to satisfy, exceed or neglect customer expectations. These countless interactions are known as defining moments. Each defining moment provides a chance to connect with or alienate the customer. As such, customer-facing employees must understand how to quickly identify the need behind each defining moment and execute on it accordingly. A series of unbroken, positive defining moments is the hallmark of an exceptional customer experience.
3. Underestimating Emotion. Far too often, customer-facing employees fumble on defining moments by underestimating the impact of emotion. The report uncovered that nearly one-third of respondents believed it was more important to be “listened to and shown respect” than to have their issue resolved.  Connecting with customers on a human level – listening and showing empathy ­- goes a long way in addressing their concerns, even if an immediate solution is unavailable. To ensure that employees know how to accurately read and respond to emotions, companies should invest in customer experience training and development.
4.  Asking the Wrong Question. While the job of a customer-facing employee can be full of unexpected requests and colorful customers, some may feel like they constantly respond to the same questions or problems. Yet it’s dangerous to assume that any customer interaction is routine and “tune out.” To deliver on a positive customer experience, employees should remain engaged in the conversation by asking a blend of open and closed questions. Open questions get customers talking and closed questions help confirm facts and the customer’s need.
5. Pushing Features Instead of Benefits. Sometimes well-meaning service professionals, hoping to give their customers insights about their products or services, spend too much time pushing features instead of addressing the value to the customer or answering the original question. To avoid annoying customers with unsolicited information, remember that their main goal is understanding what’s in it for them. Customers are more likely to accept a proposed solution if they understand how it benefits them. Help them decide by focusing on benefits and describing how each feature helps solve their need or challenge.
6.  Choosing Your Words Carelessly. Many times in customer engagement, it’s not what you say but how you say it that leaves a lasting impression on the customer. One of the biggest mistakes a service provider can make is betraying their good intentions with negative language. Be careful not to darken a conversation with words like “can’t” and “won’t,” as customers will react negatively in return. To ensure that employees don’t rely on negative words, conduct training and role-playing to help them develop the skills and language to positively navigate customer interactions. Also consider a simple posted list of “word to use” and “words to avoid” as a constant reminder.
7.  Taking the Bait of an Angry Customer. When a customer verbally attacks a service professional, it can be tempting for the professional to “get hooked” and respond with anger. The result is escalating stress on both sides, and a situation that is unlikely to be resolved successfully. Businesses must ensure they prepare their employees for antagonistic customer interactions. Help employees realize that customers aren’t attacking them personally; rather, they’re upset about a perceived problem or mistake. Then, empower employees with defusing skills to help ease tension and clear the way for addressing the customer’s issue.

Getting to the Heart of the Customer Experience

Delivering a consistent and exceptional customer experience provides businesses with a strong competitive advantage in today’s increasingly complex and socially-connected world. To create the defining moments that drive a great customer experience, organizations must train their employees to not only recognize but also leverage emotion in customer interactions. Simple words of kindness, apology and understanding often go a long way toward remedying a customer complaint. By reinforcing that emotions are at the heart of superior customer service, organizations can better build loyal customers and strong brand reputations.