A few years ago, there was a Forbes article discussing how “Customer Service is the New Marketing.” And it’s true.
Yet, now in 2023, not only should your customer experience plan and customer service experience be considered the new marketing, I will go further and say that it is the most profitable and gets the best ROI.
How COVID Changed & Enhanced Customer Experience
Before the pandemic began, when you had a new product line or a new service that you wanted to provide to your customers and clients, there was more of a traditional 1967 Mad Men approach. Hire a PR firm so that they could devise a campaign and then you would launch TV, radio, and direct mail campaigns. Then in the 2000s you added advertising by email and websites. More recently (but still before the pandemic) you would buy ads on streaming services and social media. The method you get the message to your client has changed, but it is still the same concept of hiring a PR firm. Then they devise the plan and implement it to see results.
COVID changed all that. It changed for companies because life changed the way consumers needed to do business and how business owners needed to figure out the best way of creating an unforgettable customer experience while also having to be more flexible and find the cheapest advertising and the best, most valued way of getting the message is through someone the prospect knows in their family or close friends. It goes something like this:
“I need a car loan (or any type of service). Did you just get a loan at the dealership or did you go to a bank?”
(Trusted family member or friend replies with their opinion): “I bank at XYZ123 Bank. I got a loan for my wife’s car there just last year. The process was quick, and they were very friendly and helpful, I have the lady’s card that helped me. I am sure she can help you out!”
Of course, the answer might be: “I bank at XYZ123 Bank and I have to tell you, go to the dealership. While I did get my loan from my bank, the people there were terrible to deal with and were not helpful at all.”
How Frictionless Customer Experiences Pays Dividends
Do you know what the difference is, especially after the height of the pandemic? The answer is the frictionless customer experience. Some businesses learned to embrace and enhance their customer experience strategy, while many tried to keep doing business as usual. A bad customer service experience will do nothing but haunt your business.
The level of saturation of all types of media to raise the comfort level of the average customer is monumental. It also takes a significant amount of time. If someone has a frictionless customer experience, it is a megaphone for the product or company because in today’s society, great customer service is like the lighthouse on the coast on a dark night. (Really, just get on TikTok and see all of the complaints about bad customer service and all of the workers complaining about what they do…you’ll see…)
Conversely, the damage of a bad customer service experience is detrimental to a company. The crux of the problem is it is almost impossible to gauge and quantify the amount of business lost by a negative customer service experience. We have seen studies that show the high percentage of consumers that will strongly consider a competitor’s product if they have a bad customer experience.
Customer Experience Consulting: A Safety Net for Your Success
Tomorrow’s Opinions is an experienced customer experience consulting team. We are a safety net for your vision. Our number one priority is to improve your customer service experience so that your business will grow.
First, we determine a score for your current customer experience strategy, both off and online. Then, our customer service consultants implement the proper customer experience guide (including a digital customer experience guide)and show where the weaknesses and where the strengths are for your company. All of this is custom made to your specifications, needs and budget. We can help become a partner with you and turn that ROI upward to help grow your business.
Schedule your consultation now with Tomorrow's Opinions. Let's partner together and improve your customer experience now.
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