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CHECKLIST: CLIENT EXPERIENCE – YOUR NUMBER ONE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

There is little argument that client demands are far greater today than they were in times past. There is also general agreement that client demands and expectations will continue to rise in the years ahead.

 

Given that many businesses are struggling to meet current demands, a major challenge facing business owners and managers is knowing and deciding what strategies and systems to employ today to best meet those increased expectations of tomorrow.

 

A key distinction that often gets missed when developing future plans is the difference between client service, and client experience.

 

In simple terms, client service is what a business gives; client experience is what a client receives.

 

Client experience is how your clients perceive their interactions with your organisation. Sadly, there is often an enormous gap between what businesses believe they are delivering, versus what clients experience receiving.

 

The main reason such a gap exists is due to a lack of understanding and appreciation of just how many steps there are along a typical client journey, and how every one of those individual steps contains within it the potential to make or break a client relationship.

 

Remember, a ‘moment of truth’ occurs anytime a client comes into contact with any PART of your business, and uses that individual ‘touch-point’ to judge the quality of your business as a WHOLE.

 

It is important to realise that there are in excess of 200 touch-points occurring along the client journey at your place of business every day, and that every one of those touch-points shares equal billing with all others. As such EVERYTHING MATTERS!

 

Everything including how easy is it for clients to find your contact details, how the telephone is answered, the font size of the print on your business cards, the fresh flowers in reception, the currency of the information on your website, the professional appearance of both your staff and your premises, the time taken to respond to emails, your choice of corporate colours, the fragrance used in your client reception areas, the quality of the tea, coffee or juice offered to clients, the terms and conditions of your client satisfaction guarantees. The list is exhaustive and runs to many pages in length.

 

A great client experience is a combination of everything your client sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, and also how they emotionally and intuitively respond to your product or service offerings.

 

Business development strategies need to embrace a detailed understanding of how clients perceive their experience at three separate levels; needs met, ease of doing business, and enjoyment.

 

Level one is quite simply having the capacity and competence to provide the exact product or service that your client demands. It ensuring you have the right experience, the right expertise, the best model, colour and size in stock … now! It’s about having fully trained and qualified employees ready to provide expert service as and when required.

 

Level two is the about the ease with which your clients can do business with you. Being accessible via multiple channels, business hours that suit, adequate availability of trained professional staff, a range of payment and delivery options, efficient after sales back-up and replacement warranties and satisfaction guarantees.

 

Level three is about the degree of pleasure clients experience during the process of doing business with you. It’s about whether or not your clients actually enjoy doing business with you, your organisation and your people.

 

It is essential that all three levels are addressed both with attention to detail and a high level of professionalism to maximise the client experience.

 

Client experience is at the centre of everything you do; how you conduct your business; your ethics and values; how your people behave and engage with your clients and each other; the value that your products and services deliver; what your brand stands for in the marketplace.

 

Client experience is the single greatest predictor of business success.

 

Client experience is your number one competitive advantage.

 

Click the link below to access a copy of Graham’s Client Experience Performance Evaluation Form.

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Graham Harvey

Business Coach & Marketing Futurist with Service IQ

www.grahamharvey.com

 

 

Simon Creek

Managing Director, HHG Legal Group

www.hhg.com.au

 

 

*The information provided in this website serves as a general guide and does not constitute legal advice. It is based on our research and experience at the time of publication. Please consult our knowledgeable legal team for any specific inquiries or advice relevant to your circumstances, as the content may not have been updated subsequently.  

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