Most large companies have lost the ability to build an emotional connection between the customer and its brand. In the first part of this topic I argue that traditional, project based design methods for building positive customer experience are failing and are usually disappearing into indefinite. In this matter, big companies have much to learn from small family businesses, where the owner will not allow personal engagement ties binding the customer to the company to break up. How to transfer this personal approach of small businesses to the corporation? What should the management of these companies endeavour so that the motto “Our customer – our master” is re-introduced into the genetic code of the organization? I offer a perspective here …
Personal commitment of employees is the key
Traditional design processes are used to build up a positive customer experience more or less by technocratic means. Processes, procedures and quality of communication are reviewed, etc. The approach is from “top to bottom “, new projects are being defined, and process change measures are being set out. The result, however, often lags behind expectations, and real changes do not happen. On the other hand, great customer experience in successful family businesses is a standard. It’s the fact that the owner is personally involved and knows the long-term success of his business must be reinforced on a daily basis through pleasurable customer feelings from each interaction with the company. With the expansion of business, the personal dimension of engagement begins to disappear, and new problems arise. Deeper reasons why this is so can be found in the first part of this topic.
Thorough review of team quality at all levels must be the starting point
If a thorough management of customer experience disappears along with the loss of personal involvement of the people in the front line, this is the point where it is necessary to start. My recipe is simple but very challenging for the top management to be willing to change things:
1. First, the company must be certain that there is a demand for the product or service, its quality is at least on the level of competition, ideally it should also have some competitive advantage. “If the coffee is not my taste, I will not buy it, even if served by the most pleasant person in the world”. For large companies, it is often about simplifying offers, which are unclear and even sellers struggle to explain a problem the customer.
2. If the above is secured, it’s time to start building the foundations of excellent customer experience. I think that responsibility for making this happen is a personal mission of CEO who should not delegate it to someone else or neglect it. It is an intervention into the “genetic code ” of the company and, therefore, real and long term priority must be secured in this way.
3. Instead of process and indicators analysis, it is necessary to plunge into “analysis and work with people” in following steps:
a. CEO primarily aligns his goal with his close management team and clearly explains that place in his team is only guaranteed for the one who accepts and joins the idea – and he takes necessary action in case that someone is mentally not able to harmonize himself within the team – regardless of his business results.
b. This team together identifies individual positions in middle management (across the organization) who, through their daily work, directly influence what happens in the first line (such as a call centre manager, manager of the branch network, product manager, PR manager, etc.).
We look for people with the “mindset of the owner”
c. What follows is a critical assessment of each of these positions in terms of personal predispositions for such a role. We need to ensure that these middle managers are, in their mindset, as close to the family business owner as possible. Do you think it is possible ? I think it is. Every time, I experience a great service, I know there is a team leader behind, who possesses exactly this thinking.
Regarding the traits being sought for (along with the ability to lead people), I would stress energy and passion, empathy, curiosity, creativity and ability to be a team player. This is a task for a psychologist. Uncompromising changes are needed in case the current employee does not meet the criteria. Otherwise, there is a risk that he will become a drag. Again, I’m not talking here about professional competence, which should be a standard requirement. This step creates a “core team” that will have the energy to drive the profound change.
Real change will start bottom-up
4. When we have built up the core team to at least 80%, it is time to mobilize the entire organization and declare the initiative of building excellent customer experience. The core team is the owner of this task, and its sponsor needs to be CEO himself. This team gets the empowerment, resources and obligation to act according to the following approach:
a. Start the process of revitalization of first-line teams to instill these traits into every customer touch-point
b. Meet regularly, discuss and resolve front-line topics and issues at their discretion and priorities, confront their opinions with others, and harmonize a common view, evaluate results
5. Submit proposals for projects and initiatives to senior management according to agreed priorities on a regular basis. Management supports these suggestions as much as possible and gives them priority.
Why should it work? As is the case with small family businesses, the customer experience develops at the forefront. These employees are the only ones who can see what is really going on, dedicate their time to detail; it’s their world. If they are the ones with the right attitude, they actively think about it and search for solutions. Only this way the right spark and chain reaction can develop with a long-term effect. Only this way the right idea really gets into the DNA of the complex organism such as a large company. What is the role of top management in managing the customer experience? The usual one. To set direction, choose the right people and let them do their job. Can the task be carried out in 6 weeks? Certainly not – it is rather months or maybe 1-2 years until the “machine for excellent customer experience” is up and running at full speed. Nevertheless, I am convinced that there is no other real way.
What is your opinion? I welcome your comments.