We interact face-to-face or remotely when we deal with any business for any reason. Sometimes we have a choice, sometimes, we are enticed to use a particular channel, and sometimes we have no choice. In every case, however, we expect the outcome of the interaction not only depends on the facts of the specific interaction but also on what else is happening – the context. And all these variables make designing a satisfying experience for all cases very difficult.
Examples of Typical Interactions
You are buying a car or other item, and you want to evaluate performance:
You are purchasing an engagement ring for your significant other:
You require technical support or help on a complex issue:
In some cases, you seamlessly shift between face-to-face and remote support. At each step of the process, you expect the outcome. However, when we require help or assistance, we are especially sensitive when the channel fails to provide a satisfactory result and thus fails to meet the customer’s expectations.
Case Study of Getting Help For a Difficult Decision
For the cruise industry, the bad news started in 2012 with the wreck of the Costa Concordia. It continued in 2013 with a series of mishaps on Carnival ships. All the negative publicity depressed prices and revenue for Carnival. And the bad news even changed the way that people booked cruises. Online books grew by 28% in 2011 and 26% in 2012. But online bookings are expected to only grow 6% in 2013. Also, both Carnival and travel agents have been spending much more time on telephones selling and up-selling prospects. Much of what they are doing is assuring prospects about their ships’ safety, comfort, and seaworthiness. People still want to cruise, but many more are looking for the human assurance that things are OK – a message that an IVR system could never deliver.
Case Study of an Expectedly Good Outcome
My daughter has an Amazon Prime account. A few months ago, she had a complex transaction that she tried on the Amazon website. When she could not accomplish her goal, she used their help screen. After entering her phone number, she barely had time to wonder how long she would have to wait for the call back when Amazon called her (about 15 seconds). After that, the person helped her solve her problem, taught her something about her account that she didn’t know, and thanked her for the opportunity to help.
This matrix shows how we react to a challenging situation where we either have success or failed:
The moral of this story is that your business provides live support to solve complex problems or correct bad situations. These people had better be trained and empowered to solve the customer’s concern quickly and painlessly. If the business fails to meet its customers’ expectations, it should expect the worst!
About Middlesex Consulting
Middlesex Consulting is an experienced team of professionals with the primary goal of helping capital equipment companies create more value for their clients and stakeholders. Middlesex Consulting continues to provide superior solutions to meet the needs of its clients by focusing on our strengths in Services, Manufacturing, Customer Experience, and Engineering. If you want to learn more about how we can help your organization minimize the risk of failing to meet customers’ expectations, please get in touch with us or check out some of our free articles and white papers here.