Greeting customers when they enter your business is good
customer service, but it won’t make yours stand out. Creating a unique customer
experience (CX) is the best way to make a lasting impression. For a
truly memorable experience, companies must find new ways to create innovative CXs.
Recently, Forbes
shared four ways some companies are doing just that.
Rethink Everything. For
ages, restaurants everywhere in the world have worked the same way. When developing
new ideas for CX, restaurateurs aren’t apt to consider upsetting that basic
structure. But, Rajat Suri is seeking to change that with the Presto tablet, a
touch-screen gadget that allows customers to skip the waiting part of dining in.
“Suri demonstrated the gadget over dinner at a Mediterranean
restaurant, where the only interaction with waiters came when they delivered
the falafel,” reported Bloomberg Businessweek. “Presto lets diners order by
scrolling through pictures of entrées and pay swiping a card through Presto’s
built-in reader.”
Confound Expectations.
Another type of business that has stuck to the same procedure is the bank.
John Wynn of Universal Mind explained how one bank is
innovating around customers’ expectations in a way that doesn’t require
high-tech gadgets.
“Branches are referred to as ‘stores’ with a greater
emphasis on retail operations and atmosphere,” said Wynn. “Those ‘stores’ are
considered destinations, where a customer can not only handle banking needs but
also take a few minutes to learn more about financial products and services. The
concept was created to empower all associates with the ability to work in
all areas of a traditionally specialized banking environment.”
Image via Jeremyalicandri.com
Consider Soft
Innovation. Even companies that peddle product instead of services can
innovate without inventing new hardware. In “The Method Method,” Eric Ryan
and Adam Lowry refer to the concept as “soft innovation.” Soft innovation means
highlighting small things about a product in a way that alters the CX.
“Soft innovators establish new standards for quality,
experience, and sales in their categories without doing anything profoundly
innovative,” they wrote in an excerpt of the book. “Think Ben &
Jerry’s, which introduced the ice cream pint to the world as a more personal
alternative to the half-gallon or gallon tub.”
Treat Them Like V.I.P. Threadflip has made reselling clothes easier with White Glove Service, a fashion website that eliminated the hassle of listing and shipping used items. Sellers must first apply to take advantage of the free service, but those who participate receive prepaid labels, and then send it back to the company.
Treat Them Like V.I.P. Threadflip has made reselling clothes easier with White Glove Service, a fashion website that eliminated the hassle of listing and shipping used items. Sellers must first apply to take advantage of the free service, but those who participate receive prepaid labels, and then send it back to the company.
Staff will then suggest
prices, post the items, and ship them when they’re purchased.
There are countless ways a business can create a unique CX.
It means that no matter how many brilliant customer experiences other companies
implement, there’s always another idea out there to transform the CX.
Amanda Ciccatelli, Social Media Strategist at IIR USA in New York City, has a background in digital and print journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing, and technology. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the tech industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her at @AmandaCicc.
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