“You have to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology – not the other way around.” (Steve Jobs at the World Wide Developers Conference 1997)
How do companies engage with their customers? Is it just about data? Or is it about much more?
A multitude of recent experiences triggered this post.
As I recently spoke at a Melbourne CX conference, Monica McGurk (SVP Strategy, Decision Support & eCommerce at The Coca-Cola Company) responded to a question from the audience with a very interesting story about how a recent research of her colleagues has shown how some consumers have to carry their shopping bags home – on a bus and how that experience left an impression on the involved Coca Cola teams – as it provided context to the customer experience. All of a sudden the customers had a real feeling and an emotion attached to them. Something that data did not show. A great example.
Then I recently also stumbled upon Ze Frank (now president of Buzzfeed Motion Pictures) and some of his old Ted talks. Very uplifting. You can find all about him and his talks here: http://www.zefrank.com. The great point he makes is that the digital age has not really figured out emotions yet. How shall we deal with our devices? How do we connect to each other? A prime example to me is his work on the so calledAngrigami where he asked people on the web to turn hate mail into origami art. Complete strangers share their connection and turn a negative emotion into art. Ze Frank to me is one of the pioneers of asking a simple question: how do we deal with emotions in our digital age? He gives the example of a person looking at their digital device. It is everywhere. But how do we deal with it from a business perspective?
Last but not least, I finally finished Steve Jobs biography by by Walter Isaacson – yes – it took me some time. Through the whole story, the underlying theme that stuck with me was Steve’s quest for a better customer experience. Something that he and Apple tried hard to steer – their customers’ emotions. An inspiring book and a true and decent approach.
In my daily work life I have to deal with CX a lot (as IBM’s IX studio in Melbourne is hosting a lot of CX sessions – more here). Journey mapping, putting the customer in the centre and all that is key. At least everyone talks about it. I am often asked about the technology. I would love to simply say that you have to start by plugging something in, but that does not make anyone successful. What really is key though is a simple question: what emotions are connected to your customers’ experiences? Does your data show? Some interesting questions. Have a look at the great CX work of my colleagues in the IX youtube channel here: and especially the video on Melbourne’s studio here.
Recent Forrester research suggests this importance of emotions on the journey as well. A key researcher states that: “To be clear, although CX is not the only thing companies need to get right, it is one of the biggest things — and often the biggest thing — that they must get right.”
The importance of emotions is also one of the reasons why I try to be a customer of my customers. I like to know and feel what they do. Does the bank I work with really deliver on their promises? What about the telco and their support? Listening to your own customers in focus groups or the store experience of Coca Cola customers are also prime examples for a reality check.
When was the last time you have been part of your company’s CX? A key thing that astonishes me over and over again is how far people are able to distance themselves from their company. CEO’s who never log in. Marketers who do not read their own emails…
My advice? Simple: take a post-it and start mapping out your customers’ journey (as described here for instance). Attach emotions to the journey. Then maybe data that suggests what is going on. If you end up with a finished map make sure you have the emotions of the journey on it. The technology to deliver it comes afterwards (but I am very glad to talk to you about how it can help to get you there…)
Do you deliver a great customer experience?
