Our ASPIRE programme can help you excel at Customer Care

–We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better — Jeff Bezos, Executive Chair, AMAZON

Background

Traditionally in the hospitality industry, tangibles and intangibles were key factors that influenced the customer.

  • Tangibles were the physical aspects of a service that customers could see, touch, or experience directly:
  • Clean, pleasant facilities and environment, food and beverages and employee appearance
  • Intangibles were the non-physical elements that shape the overall guest experience and emotional connection, factors which often determine customer loyalty and satisfaction:
  • Customer service quality, efficiency and convenience, guest emotions and experiences, personalisation and brand reputation

Now the term customer service has been overtaken by customer care, commonly referred to as CX (customer experience), and a whole new dynamic has developed around the business strategy of meeting, and even exceeding, customer expectations.

Rather than two factors it now comprises three:

  • Product
  • Service
  • Experiences

The focus is moving more towards how the customer perceives the experience they have when interacting with a brand.

Our take on this is:

The customer will remember how you made them feel long after they have forgotten the value.

commercetools recently commissioned Foundry, a research firm, to conduct a study on the current state of CX (customer Experience) .

They interviewed over 300  business leaders across various industries, to find what’s important to customers today and the strategies they use to meet customer expectations.

Some key findings:

  • 81% of organisations cite CX as a competitive differentiator
  • 46% of business leaders cited improving customer experience as their top priority, ahead of product and pricing
  • 78% of respondents said they use customer feedback “extensively” to guide their CX strategies
  • 51% of business leaders said they plan to improve CX by enhancing personalisation in the next 24 months.

Customer service is not a department. It’s a philosophy that everyone in an organization must embrace– Shep Hyken

How consumers feel about customer experience today:

  • 73 % of consumers point to customer experience as a key factor in their purchasing decisions
  • 86%of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience
  • 86% of consumers say showing empathy and understanding is powerful in building a strong relationship with a brand

Harvard Business Review has found that acquiring a new customer is 5 to 7 times more expensive than retaining an existing one.

The consumer’s attitude to CX has been driven by big brands who pioneered customer loyalty as a core business strategy, recognising early on that retaining customers is far more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.

Some of the key pioneers include  American Airlines, Tesco – Clubcard, Amazon, Starbucks

They have discovered the holy grail of loyalty, and these are some of the benefits:

  • A 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits by 25% to 95% (Bain & Company)
  • 75% of consumers say they favour companies that offer rewards (Bond Brand Loyalty)
  • Loyalty program members spend 12% to 18% more per year than non-members (McKinsey & Co.)
  • Amazon Prime members spend an average of $1,400 per year, compared to $600 by non-members (Consumer Intelligence Research Partners)

The benefits of loyalty are self-evident, but loyalty can’t depend on a few star performers, it is a complete team effort – and every single person on the team must be on the same customer focused sheet.

 -CX is first and foremost a business strategy- Frank Down

ASPIRE to CX excel

Based on this information we developed the ASPIRE model with the primary objective of helping companies to embed and nurture a culture of customer care within their organisations. 

The first step on the journey to creating high levels of customer loyalty starts with management acceptance of making CX an integral part of the business strategy.

The model only works where there is complete buy-in by management who must relentlessly manage and drive the system. 

 ASPIRE: Summary of the model

  • Analyse – Analyse where are you now on Customer Care
  • Strategy – Set out a strategy based on your Customer Care aspirations
  • Plan  – Develop the Customer Care Plan 
  • Implement – Implement your Plan for all areas of the business 
  • Review – Review the process and re-write or update the plan
  • Evolve – Evolve and improve – moving to the next level of Customer Care

ASPIRE – How it works

The model is first introduced to the senior team and the concept is fully explained.

Preliminary objectives are discussed and agreed at this meeting.

The first step is to Analyse:

A: This involves analysing the current customer care systems within the operation.   

This includes:

  • Using all the information available from existing customer comment/ review systems
  • Review of all social media information
  • Review of email or correspondence received directly from customers 

It can also include a questionnaire of senior staff to get their views on where the operation stands on customer care. 

This will also include a weighted scoring option as to where the operation stands across three areas:

  • Current customer responses
  • In-house staff evaluation
  • Ranked against competitors

At the end of this process the team agree where the operation stands in terms of customer care.

S: The second step is to set out a Strategy:

Strategy is the big-picture approach.  It defines the overarching goals, direction, and the vision and mission for customer care.

It answers “what” and “why’’ – what the company aims to achieve and why it matters.

This includes developing:

  • A Vision and Mission Statement for Customer Care
  • Customer Care Goals and Objectives
  • The Customer Care Policy Statement
  • Customer Care Leadership
  • Training  and Learning strategy
  • Standards and Metrics for customer care

P: The next step is to set out a Plan:

The Plan outlines the specific steps, resources, and timelines needed to execute the strategy. It answers “how, when, and who”

  • How to implement the strategy
  • When each step will happen
  • Who is responsible

I: Then we Implement the Programme

This starts with an awareness campaign where all staff are made aware of the increased focus on customer care.

The Leadership Team take the lead on this and can hold informal sessions with staff to explain the concept.

At the same time a full training programme, compulsory for all staff, is put in place.

We use a combination of face-to-face and digital training to develop and foster the concept of customer care as an integral part of the day to day running of the business.

We outline the benefits of customer care in terms of the business benefits and job security, improved morale, and happier customers.

We clearly position the customer as the person who pays the wages and without whom there would be no business.

-It’s not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages- Henry Ford

During the training process we also identify candidates that are suitable to become Customer Care Champions

As part of the training, we explain the customer feedback systems which are introduced as the training takes place.

The Leadership Team are introduced, and their role is explained.

R: This involves a constant Review of the programme

The review process begins in the month after the programme begins.

The is led by the Leadership Team and has three main objectives

  • Review and catalogue the responses from customers
  • Reset or adjust the plan as required
  • Organise further training or coaching if necessary

E: The objective is to Evolve to an improved state of customer care.

There is no destination in this process – it’s a constant journey!

The objective of the process is to continuously consolidate and improve the quality of customer care.  

This involves the Leadership Team constantly setting improved targets and developing ways and means of achieving these targets.

Summary

ASPIRE is a practical and effective way to embed a culture of customer care within your organisation.

It can act as the foundation stone for a practical business strategy that puts the customer first and foremost in your business.

 -Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars- Norman Vincent Peale

Call Frank 087 206 1934 for discuss how ASPIRE can help you excel at CX.