Best Practices

No matter the initiative or project, every effort you make to better your customer experience (CX) starts with data. Whether it’s omnichannel, transactional, relationship, loyalty, or feedback data, you need data to make informed decisions that positively impact your business.

Given it’s all-important status, it’s vital for your data to be accessible and stored in a way that enables your team to unearth insights efficiently and effectively. As with all things, however, this is easier said than done.

Unfortunately many companies still house customer data in silos, or in separate warehouses depending on data type or what vendor, app, or platform it was collected in. This practice can complicate your view of customer data, resulting in an incomplete, distorted, or even inaccurate view of your customer.

In the big picture of customer experience, this distorted view of data can be devastating, but there are even more ways that data silos can put your CX program in danger. In this post, I will break down six problems that stem from data silos, as well as the challenges they present.

1. Inability to Scale Your CX Program

As an organization grows, one would hope that their CX program would be able to scale with them. Unfortunately, if that organization is using multiple silos to store their customer data, this isn’t possible. Each silo would scale independently of the others, making navigating the CX program more and more complex as the company evolves.

2. Time-Consuming Process

The more silos, the more time it takes to compile and regulate data. In fact, a recent study showed that data scientists spend approximately 80% of their time preparing and managing data for analysis. This means that data scientists are using most of their time compiling data and only 20% of their time analyzing it for the insights that could make a big difference to their organization.

3. Excessive Costs

Multiple vendors require greater headcount to manage and operate those platforms. When the average enterprise marketing department uses 91 applications (even though many of those may not be CX-specific) supporting multiple vendors and their data silos can be costly.

4. Difficulty Sharing Information

A successful CX program depends on the ability to share data. Unfortunately, the evolving nature of CX software causes compatibility issues between different data platforms. Furthermore, any attempt at combined analysis of data silos can be difficult at best.

5. Disparate View of Customer

To get the best possible understanding of your customer and to understand how they experience your brand, it’s important to get a holistic view of your customer data. When your data is siloed, however, the insights you get will be specific to only one type of customer, area of the organization, or chapter of the customer journey, limiting the effectiveness and actionability of the insights. This segmented approach can then create a disconnected understanding of your customer journey.

6. Can’t Identify Higher Priority Issues

The segmented nature of data housed in silos also creates an inability to distinguish higher priority issues across the organization as a whole. It may be possible to determine the problems that need to be addressed within each silo, but any insights revealing issues will only represent issues for one type of customer or area of the business, not the higher order issues that affect the organization as a whole.

When it comes down to it, data silos can do more than complicate operations for your CX program. They can undermine your efforts by giving you ineffective “insights” that do not address the overarching concerns of your customer. It takes a company-wide initiative to refocus on what your customers need, and that means unifying your customer data so you have the best foundation possible for your CX vision.

To learn more about data silos, the complications that come along with them, and how a unified approach to CX could combat them, download InMoment’s newest white paper, “Customer Experience Management: The Danger of Data Silos.”

You’ve done it! You’ve selected and implemented a platform, compiled your data, applied advanced analytics, and now you have a great set of informative insights that have the potential to really better your customer experience (CX).

This victory is definitely one to be celebrated, but while the finish line may be in sight, discovering insights is not the end of the road. In fact, this is where the real CX revolution begins for your organization. From here, you have the incredible opportunity to make informed changes based on these insights and create the systematic practices that actually impact the business.

To get there, you need to share your new learnings throughout your organization—but how? Here are five ways to socialize customer intelligence with everyone from front-line employees to the movers and shakers of the C-suite.

1. Create a CX Cross-Functional Team to Share the Responsibility

A CX cross-functional team is a team made up of people from across your organization who oversee your company’s customer experience. It’s important for these individuals to be from multiple departments so they can discuss the customer journey from multiple touchpoints and perspectives. The meetings should be a forum where the customer is at the center; new insights and plans to act on them should also be part of the agenda. This team should also be able to make CX assignments, hold other members accountable, and report on progress.

2. Enhance the Insights to Make it Relevant to the Audience

Relevance is key to the success of CX efforts, so it is important to understand that an insight that is relevant to one department won’t necessarily concern other departments. To understand relevance, break down what is important to each individual stakeholder (whether it’s specific problems or issues they face, or outcomes that determine their success directly) and then enhance the value of insights by tying CX and business data together in a way that directly impacts that stakeholder. That way, you are putting these insights in a language that will speak directly to the people who are in the best position to act on them.

3. Leverage the Insights You Have

Sometimes you already have the answers you need. It is important to go beyond the scores and metrics in your data and utilize the unstructured data, such as comments and reviews. Combine this with real-time detection abilities and you can uncover relevant stories that can lead you to root cause (the holy grail of insights). From there, you can leverage your most valuable resource, your employees, to tie up any loose ends and solve root cause.

4. Use Emotion to Tell the Story

I know it can be a difficult thing to do, but try to shift focus away from scores or issues. When it comes down to it, people aren’t driven by numbers, but by emotions. Instead, focus on specific comments that can provide the “why” behind the emotions that drive those scores and issues. You can even introduce technology that specializes in measuring customer emotions. You can also utilize employee emotions and introduce motivators such as rewards and recognition programs to increase CX ownership.

5. Create a Proactive Communication Plan

This may be the most important of all five of these tips, because socializing requires pristine communication. One characteristic of the best communication plans is that they share insights promptly and regularly by utilizing automation. They also use a variety of methods, whether it’s meetings, emails, alerts, or other tactics. Communications should emphasize internal successes and empower data-driven action and accountability. The plan should also involve program champions from all departments, so that everyone is updated on the latest insights and initiatives.

When you spread customer intelligence across every department of your organization, something amazing happens: a CX centric company culture. With every employee doing their part to make your customers happy, you will find that customer loyalty will skyrocket—alongside your business metrics.

To learn more about how to unlock your customer data, check out this white paper on the danger of data silos.

Since e-commerce sites have exploded onto to the retail scene, they have gained an incredible amount of traction. Online retailers such as Amazon and Zappos have been so popular that in the past few years, they have posed a serious threat to the success of brick-and-mortar locations.

It’s true, many customers today are skipping their trip to local stores and buying their everyday items online. Perhaps this is because of the convenience, but another major differentiator for online retailers is the generally superior customer experience. In fact, InMoment’s recent Retail Trends Report stated that online-exclusive retailers boast the highest customer satisfaction score of 54%.

These numbers can definitely be intimidating, but should traditional retailers run for the hills or keep looking for ways to compete with these online giants? Luckily, there is another option: complement, don’t compete.

One of the key factors of a great customer experience is making sure customers have a unified experience with your brand. Normally we think about unification in the context of the buying process, making sure that the experience is consistent from greeting to check out, but this is also relevant when it comes to where your customers shop.

Whether they’re walking through the front door or opening up your home page, a customer should have a clear idea of who you are as a retailer. This means that it should be as easy for them to make a purchase in store as it is online.

With this philosophy in mind, I would argue that the introduction of online retailers has been good for brick-and-mortar locations in that it has inspired them to step up to the CX plate and thus, better their business. In fact, a recent study saw that in 2017, there were more new store openings than closings, and that store openings will likely exceed closures through 2021.

It’s clear from these numbers that physical locations aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so it is more important that brands learn to unify their in-store and online experience so they complement one another.

Amazon is doing this exceptionally well. The brand is typically known as an online-only retailer that provides enviable customer experience and convenience, but this week, they will be making a major change. The retailer is opening their first brick-and-mortar location, Amazon Go, where shoppers can pick up ready-to-go meals, groceries, and chef-made meal kits. The best part? No check out. Simply open the app on your phone, pick up your items, and walk out the front door.

In opening a storefront, Amazon may be making a major change, but they are keeping their customer experience consistent; it still offers the convenience that the company is famous for (such as no lines, for example), but they aren’t sacrificing personable customer experience either: Amazon Go will be staffed with knowledgeable employees who can help customers and suggest new items.

There are many other great examples of how in-store and online experiences can complement one another to further brand success. This forward-thinking attitude can make the difference between providing an experience that is merely mediocre and one that is truly optimized for long-term loyalty.

To keep up with the latest CX developments and trends, check out InMoment’s 2017 Retail Trends Report!

Every organization in the healthcare industry knows that there is a lot to gain when they improve their patient experience, but achieving this goal is easier said than done.

As with any goal, there are many obstacles and pitfalls that can greet you on the way to success. If you set out immediately with no plan of action, your path will undoubtedly be more difficult. That’s why I always suggest to clients, regardless of their industry, that they prepare heavily and intentionally before they launch their customer experience (CX) program.

A vital part of preparation is identifying which areas to focus on within your company. This can be done by reflecting on areas of concern that are already known to you, but it can also mean reassessing existing customer data for insights that may have yet to be surfaced.

This step can be time consuming, especially for the healthcare industry. In order to help you prepare for any new CX effort you may be launching, I am going to list six areas of patient experience that healthcare organizations and providers can focus on to provide their patients with valuable, meaningful experiences.

1. Quality of Care

This may seem like a given for anyone in the healthcare industry, but quality of care encompasses much more than ensuring a patient’s health. Where patients mostly utilize healthcare services when they are ill, they don’t just want to be treated and steered toward health, they want to be treated with respect and compassion.

As revealed in our latest eBook, research shows nurse and doctor empathy are two of the top three factors that matter most to patients, with procedure outcome coming in fourth place. This proves that when assessing their quality of care, healthcare organizations and providers need to consider not only the patient’s health outcomes, but also if the patient felt genuinely cared for.

2. Availability of Services

Another major area of concern for patient experience is how available healthcare services are for patients. If a patient is sick or otherwise in need of care, the last thing they want to hear is that the next available appointment is in weeks or even months. This is why is it crucial to be intentional when scheduling providers. Customer experience analytics can provide you with insights to help assess what times are most popular for patients to book appointments, making it easier to optimize scheduling to avoid frustration.

3. Environment and Facilities

Having a clean, comfortable environment can make a major difference to patients. Longer waiting times are common when waiting for healthcare appointments, so creating the best environment possible is vital. Something as simple as keeping reading materials or beverages in the waiting area can put them at ease and pave the way for positive experiences.

4. Safety and Infection Issues

This point closely relates to the previous area of focus, but it is important to emphasize cleanliness and adherence to safety precautions in the healthcare industry. Failure to keep surfaces clean and keep certain supplies stored appropriately can have serious consequences. Not only is there a higher risk of infection and other injuries, but the impression of uncleanliness can seriously affect a patient’s confidence in their healthcare provider.

5. Billing Cost

One of a patient’s biggest deterrents from scheduling an appointment with their healthcare provider is price. Even insured patients are afraid of being being over-billed for services rendered, and no matter how much they may need to see a professional, this fear can keep them from coming in at all. This is why it is especially important to be vigilant and purposeful when billing insurance companies. It can also be helpful to take the time to explain the billing to patients so they understand the necessity of each item on their bill, especially because keeping the patient informed is the second most important factor in positive patient experience.

6. Return Visits

Encouraging patients to return after a period of time for a follow-up appointment can help improve patient experience for multiple reasons. Firstly, it is a great way to ensure outcomes improvement and keep a close eye on any condition or recovery process. Secondly, it demonstrates to patients that you are invested in their health. This knowledge alone shows an excellent quality of care and can make a big difference in how the patient feels leaving their appointment.

Planning a CX program can be complicated, but when you have predetermined areas of focus, you are better armed with ideas on how to address each area. That being said, getting leadership to actually commit  to improve patient experience is half the battle. If you know any decision makers who are still on the fence, check out our newest eBook, Three Reasons Health Systems Should Invest in Improving Patient Experience.

Customer experience leaders in financial services (FS) need to create a frictionless experience for clients that doesn’t run the risk of being impersonal. Without this balance, FS providers can fail to create client loyalty, ultimately resulting in dissatisfied customers who are quick to take their business elsewhere.

With a successful balance of technology and personalization, providers will be well placed to outperform their competitors, both in terms of revenue and their ability to supply highly differentiated, individualized experiences.

THE CHALLENGE: CREATING A BALANCED EXPERIENCE

Financial services clients expect interactions to be seamless, timely, and integrated from beginning to end. For providers, this means constantly monitoring all touchpoints and channels and responding immediately around the clock.

The obvious strategy to meet this expectation would be through automation and new technology, but relying solely on this solution could be dangerous. Foregoing traditional, in-branch interaction could mean missing the opportunity to create a genuine interaction and relationship with clients.

Brennan Wilkie, our SVP of customer experience strategy, said, “Every interaction with a customer is a chance for a FS brand to surprise and delight — or a missed opportunity to do so. By tailoring the brand experience to each contextual user journey, FS can unlock the ability to enhance loyalty with customers, and because personalization is about establishing individualized brand relationships, early leaders tend to lock in customers, heightening the barriers for those that try to follow.”

Studies are also showing that clients are expecting their experiences to be as personal as they are frictionless. According to a Janrain Online Personal Experience study, over 74% of online consumers get frustrated when they are presented with content that is not relevant to them or their interests.

If this trend continues, financial institutions will continue to find it harder to attract, grow, and retain consumer business unless they take steps to engage customers in ways that can truly make their brand stand out.

THE APPROACH: EMBRACING NEW TECHNOLOGY

Financial services providers have begun to tap the potential of personalization by providing customers with the ability to download apps, watch research videos, and redeem individualized offers. Additionally, they have introduced click-to-chat features on their websites. These methods may not always take the form of another transaction or product, but they definitely succeed in enhancing relationship.

As mentioned in our recent global banks CX infographic, Avidia Bank launched “Cardless Cash,” which allows customers to draw money from ATMs and branches using their smartphones. To amplify the buzz, the bank hosted real-time ATM versus Cardless Cash battles on Periscope. This unusual tactic captured significant consumer attention, which allowed Avidia to identify and join the ensuing conversations on other social networks. For Cardless Cash, Avidia saw engagement rates as high as 10%, resulting in a 13% increase in adoption.

Another way FS providers are embracing technology is utilizing the rising popularity of virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri. Gareth Gaston, head of omnichannel banking at US Bank, said, “Voice technology is going to be central to the future of digital interaction. We’ve all become accustomed to speaking to our devices for simple things like getting directions to a restaurant or placing a call. Now, voice services such as Amazon Alexa are making it easy to check an account balance or hear a payment due date without picking up a phone or logging in to internet banking.”

THE BENEFIT: CLIENT LOYALTY

When account holders feel both that they can conveniently access their accounts via technology and that their financial services providers truly care about providing them with a positive experience, they are more likely to become loyal customers. Still, such a differentiated customer experience cannot happen on its own. It’s up to FS providers to create an environment and culture in which client relationships can be fostered and flourish.

It’s one of the most popular and controversial topics in retail today: Will automation and digital disruption push people and brick-and-mortar retailers out of the picture?

While there are many advocates for either side of the debate, here at InMoment, we believe that the in-store experience is just as relevant today, despite the digital age we live in. In fact, in our recent Humans v. Robots webinar with CustomerThink.com, Brennan Wilke, senior vice president of customer experience at InMoment, and Tyler Saxey, director of customer experience for Foot Locker, discussed the reasoning and research behind our opinion.

Based on findings from InMoment’s 2017 Retail Trends Report, our presenters shared several great reasons while the in-store experience still plays an important role in the retail industry:

1. Immediate Gratification

For customers, one of the biggest draws to a physical store is instant gratification. They can walk through the doors, see the selection, grab something off the shelf, and buy it.

With an in-store purchase, customers can enjoy their new items the moment they walk out the door. This type of satisfaction is simply not possible for the digital-only customer, who needs to wait for shipping and processing even after the transaction is complete. For the eager customer, brick-and-mortar retailers are still the way to go.

2. Previous Good Experiences

Another advantage for physical retailers is that they can build upon previous positive experiences. If a customer has gone to a store and has had an employee go above and beyond for them, they are more likely to make the trip again. Why? Because their previous experience made them feel important and valued; who wouldn’t like that?

If retailers are able to empower their staff to provide good experiences for customers, they can essentially guarantee customer loyalty.

3. Perceived Quality

In our research for the 2017 Retail Trends Report, we found that retail customers tend to perceive the quality of in-store goods to be greater than that of items bought online. Even though the items may be the same and in the same condition, the ability for clients to see, touch, and hold the items in their hands assures the customer that the item they are buying is exactly what they want.

Online retailers can’t provide the same sort of assurance, so when customers are especially concerned with quality, they are more likely to make the trip to a physical retailer.

4. The Human Element

The final and most important reason why in store retailers have an edge in their industry might be the most obvious: their people. The fact of the matter is that as social beings, we still prefer and value quality, interpersonal interactions.

When a customer speaks with a sales associate, they get to check items off their shopping list and connect with someone who will help them find what they need. This gives a sales transaction a priceless social element, and as I stated previously, it’s those personal relationships and experiences that keep customers coming back for more.

In light of these key in store differentiators, it’s clear that brick-and-mortar locations still have their place in the retail industry. In this case, it is important not to solely focus your efforts on digital resources, but instead to think about how you can use technology to empower your people.

Every culture has its popular myths: Bigfoot, the abominable snowman… the list goes on. However, when we think of these mythical monsters, we think of stories that are believable but generally acknowledged to be untrue when examined closely.

In terms of myths, retail culture is no different. With rapidly changing technology and evolving customers, many myths about the future of retail have surfaced. In InMoment’s 2017 Retail Trends Report, we were able to debunk a few of these retail myths and find the truths beneath them. Check them out below!

Myth No. 1: Convenience is King.

Fact: Convenience has its place, and it’s not always first.

Today’s customers favor instant gratification, so it’s no surprise that digital-exclusive retailers are performing the best in terms of customer satisfaction. If convenience was king, it would mean that these ecommerce giants would take the retail crown, but our data shows that brick-and-mortar retailers can still serve an important and distinct role through customer experience.

A physical location provides customers with the opportunity to touch and handle items before purchasing, something that is simply not possible for digital-exclusive retailers. For example, you wouldn’t want to buy a new pair of shoes without trying them on first; brick-and-mortar stores give you the opportunity to do just that.

Even more, consumers perceived product quality to be higher when they buy from a brick-and-mortar retailer, proving that while convenience is great, it isn’t everything.

Myth No. 2: Automation will replace employees.

Fact: Technology can enhance, but not replace, human interactions.

While automation may make it easier for customers to complete purchases, it is not capable of creating empathetic and positive customer experiences in the same way your employees are. Your employees are the face of your brand, an irreplaceable asset, so instead of pitting technology against them, retailers would be well advised to think of ways to use automation to support their employees.

Myth No. 3: Personalization means targeted campaigns.

Fact: Personalization must be authentic.

Targeted campaigns are great strategies, but personalized interactions generally mean more to customers than personalized messages; customers value moments more than advertisements. Brands must leverage sales and service touchpoints by enabling their employees to build relationships and deliver value to their customers. This effort will translate personalized marketing efforts into authentic and effective campaigns.

When thinking about the future of your retail CX efforts, don’t be tempted to change course because of these myths. Instead, stay focused on your customers and what they need, then go from there!

If you’d like more context on retail trends and the direction retail customer experience is heading, download the full 2017 Retail Trends Report!

There’s a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in CX these days, and while most CX pros won’t ever write an algorithm, understanding the fundamentals of analytics and AI is no longer an option — it’s a necessity.  Following are the top 10 key AI terms every CX practitioner must know in order to keep up with the AI conversation:

1. Artificial Intelligence

Advanced software that automates the learning and performing of tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as learning, decision-making, speech and image recognition, and translations.

2. Analytics

The detailed examination of data as the basis for discussion or interpretation. There are a variety of types of analytics processes. Gartner breaks them out this way:

• • Descriptive – Characterized by traditional business intelligence (BI) and visualizations such as pie charts, bar charts, line graphs, tables, or generated narratives.

“What happened?”

• • Diagnostics – Characterized by techniques such as drill-down, data discovery, data mining and correlations.

“Why did it happen?”

• • Predictive – Characterized by techniques such as regression analysis, forecasting, multivariate statistics, pattern matching, predictive modeling, and forecasting.

“What is going to happen?”

• • Prescriptive – Characterized by techniques such as graph analysis, simulation, complex event processing, neural networks, recommendation engines, heuristics, and machine learning.

“What should be done?”

3. Machine Learning

This is a term sometimes used interchangeably with AI, but in fact, it’s one just one component, albeit an important one. Machine learning is computers the ability to learn a task or function without being explicitly programmed. There are several different types of machine learning, including:

• Supervised – The task or function is learned from labeled training data, most often curated by a human.  The algorithm adapts to new situations by generalizing from the training data to act in a “reasonable” way.
• Unsupervised – The task or function is learned from hidden structures in “unlabeled” data. Because the dataset is unlabeled, there is no evaluation of the accuracy for the outputted model.
• Neural Networks – A number of processors operating in parallel and arranged in tiers. The first tier receives the raw data, and then passes on its “knowledge” to each successive tier.
• Deep Learning – a machine learning model that leverages hierarchical representation of the data. This is best illustrated when used with Neural Networks.

4. Algorithms

A set of rules or process to be performed in calculations, especially by a computer.

5. Models

Algorithms that analyze and visualize data through a specific lens. Some notable types of models include:

• Anomaly – Recognition of a significant change in the data being monitored. (E.g. an increase in frequency of a particular issue being discussed by customers.)
• Churn – The likelihood of loss, especially of a customer or employee leaving an organization.
• Recommendation – A set of instructions given that will improve a specific key metric.
• Financial Forecast – Using historical performance data, a prediction about future performance is made.

6. Speech Analysis

Recognition of customer tone, pitch, and volume to determine customer sentiment and emotion.

7. Automated Speech Transcription (Speech-to-Text)

Automated recognition of digitized speech wavelengths converted to text.

8. Facial Recognition

Machine learning applied to images to identify the key characteristics of human faces.  Typical applications include identifying a particular person (to unlock a device) or the emotions they may be expressing (a customer is unhappy).

9. Text Analytics

Identification of valuable concepts from human-created text data (social reviews, survey comments)

• Natural Language Processing (NLP) – The application of computer processing to deriving patterns and meaning from large sets of text-based data. There are two types of NLP, rule-based and machine learning. With rule-based, human curation plays a role in creating and refining dictionaries, rules and patterns, which are then coded into the to the computer. With machine learning, the computer learns from existing data sets and then automatically generates the rules that drive the analysis of the text data.  
• Natural Language Generation (NLG) – The automated creation of text data using computational linguistics to streamline the interaction between humans and computers. Siri and Alexa are examples of NLG.

10. Internet of Things

The interconnection via the internet of everyday computing devices enabling them to send and receive data. For example, the Bluetooth connection between your phone and car.

To read more about InMoment’s advanced analytics and the intelligence they provide, click here!

InMoment recently hosted a webinar with three of our clients to discuss the lessons they’ve learned as they worked to establish their CX program. In “Three Things I Wish I Would Have Known When Starting/Growing a CX Program,” I facilitated interviews with Choctaw Nation, Tony Roma’s, and Discount Tire, where we discussed lessons from their individual CX journeys.

The discussion was incredibly informative and eye-opening, so for those of you who were unable to tune in, I will be writing a three-part series where I review my favorite insights from each of the client interviews. Let’s dive in!

The first client we interviewed was Choctaw Nation, an Oklahoma-based business that operates gaming sites, resorts, RV parks, a printing company, travel plazas, farms and ranches, and a country market. With so many customer journeys the brand decided to implement its first formal customer feedback management program with InMoment in order to hear and respond to customer stories.

Tommy Rhoads, executive director of guest experience and operational excellence, joined our webinar to discuss his experience implementing Choctaw’s new program and shared four lessons for other practitioners who are just starting their CX journeys.

1. Set expectations.

The first lesson Tommy shared was that any organization new to a formal VoC program must set expectations for what will happen after implementation. Tommy explained, “Customers are going to complain. Yes, customers are going to have something to say about your business, and you know, that’s really okay!” He then went on to emphasize what we here at InMoment truly believe about negative feedback: that though it may feel negative at first, this feedback is ultimately an opportunity to show your customer that you’re listening to their voice.

When you start formalizing your approach to customer feedback, it is important to expect that there will be negative feedback, but instead of dwelling on it, use it as an opportunity to identify areas for improvement.

2. Anticipate and prepare.

The next lesson Tommy described involved taking a critical look at what you already know about your business’s existing customer experience. What are the known issues you have as an organization? By identifying these before customer feedback starts pouring in, you have the opportunity to start making a plan and “look at the capability of the organization versus the capacity… to [address] it and… meet the needs of our customers.”

Tommy said that in his mind, this initial overview before implementation is the most critical step you can take when starting your CX journey (and I’d have to agree)!

3. Be flexible.

This lesson is all about expecting the unexpected. Preparation can take you a long way, but it is just a fact of the journey that unknown issues will arise. In this case, it is imperative for businesses to be flexible.

Tommy describes this flexibility as “collaborative recalibration,” or the process in which a business sits down, faces the unexpected issue, and puts a plan in place that allows them to take action. This kind of flexible approach is what will really allow your company to bounce back from unexpected issues and find CX success!

4. Don’t lose sight of the big picture.

With the incredible amounts of new customer data you will get when first applying your VoC program, it can be easy to get caught up in the minutia. In the first 13 days of Choctaw’s new program, they received 8,000 responses. Safe to say, they felt like they had a lot of work to do.

Tommy said that in the face of what might have been an overwhelming situation, they were able to find inspiration from their big picture. They knew that this feedback would be pivotal in providing the type of experiences they wanted to, and would ultimately help them to meet all their goals as a company. They also took a look at their core cultural values as a company, and returned to their task with the intention of not focusing on the negative, but emphasizing the positive. It is with this big picture outlook that Choctaw was able to start off its formal VoC efforts on the right foot.

Starting off a new customer listening program is no easy feat, but it helps to hear from organizations who have been there before and can offer first-hand advice on how to overcome CX hurdles.

In today’s digital world, consumers’ dependency on telecom services like mobile, streaming and the almighty internet will continue to increase. And while this ever increasing demand means higher revenues for telecom, it hasn’t translated into good news for customers. While seeing some improvement in recent years, the telecom industry still hovers at or near the bottom of every major customer experience index.

The downside of being essential

With many lines of service – especially internet access – perceived by consumers as a necessity akin to oxygen, unsatisfactory experiences are magnified. When they’re working fine, however, no one is celebrating the service. And even when customers report feeling satisfied, they are incredibly stingy with the next level of relationship: loyalty.

According the our recent research, the downward spiral starts early. InMoment’s report, Customer Experience in the Telecom Industry, found that satisfaction plummets at the one-year mark – across all lines of service (TV, internet, mobile, etc.). During the initial honeymoon phase, the technology is still shiny and new, and introductory customer deals are still in place. But as service failures happen and introductory pricing is replaced by sometimes shockingly higher bills, deep frustration sets in. And while satisfaction does bounce back, it never fully recovers.

This dissatisfaction causes customers to look to greener pastures. Telecoms spend an inordinate number of resources luring new customers away from competitors. And while strong acquisition rates are highly prized by shareholders, the result is often a matter of “be careful what you wish for…”  The same study found that most of the time, these hard-won new customers are much less satisfied with their new provider than the one they abandoned. It may be a matter of inflated expectations, lofty promises, or a combination of both. Either way, these new, unhappy customers can be more tenuous and more expensive to maintain.

While telecoms face significant challenges, the research also reveals some steps they can take to make real improvements in customer relationships, and their business.

Continuously engage

Regularly engaging customers and consistently asking for feedback will help telecoms avoid unpleasant surprises and find new ways to enrich the relationships. A significant increase in a subscription fee or changes to an offering should never be a surprise. Concerted efforts to communicate changes and ensure customers fully understand and are enjoying the full value of their service can ease the transition.

Another major challenge for telecoms is service interruptions, some of which are within their control, and some of which are not. Either way, transparent and honest communication is the best policy. The Metropolitan Transport Authority in New York recently started being transparent with customers about train delays, and customers were reported to act less hostile, especially when they understood delays were not the train’s fault. Another key to successful regular and proactive communication is offering multiple, connected contact channels to alleviate customer frustration of having to restart the resolution process or have to re-enter information like their name and account number. A diverse group of channels ensures consumers can contact their telecom in the way that’s most natural and convenient for them, and have a seamless experience when they choose to switch.

Prioritize human interaction

Although AI and automated chatbot usage have increased and can add efficiency to the brand-customer equation, deploying these technologies at the wrong times increase frustration. Easy access to human representatives — especially for complex issues — is one of the best things companies can do to effectively solve problems.

The study found that customers across nearly every service line who had a personal interaction with a brand representative reported higher satisfaction levels than those who had not. Another report found that 67 percent of customers have hung up the phone if they weren’t able to talk to a real person, and another revealed that a bad phone experience would send three quarters of consumers to a competitor. That’s why it’s vital to both provide live human channels, and conduct comprehensive training for those in client-facing roles to ensure they’re well-prepared to thoroughly address each customer issue.

Technology investments should augment human efforts, providing agents with the information and context to handle more service requests faster, and more effectively. However, this cannot happen if customer queries and user information are not seamlessly exchanged between intelligent systems and their human counterparts.

Offer a range of engagement options

Because customers’ needs are varying, they should have access to varying channels for customer support as well. After all, different situations call for different paths to customer service.

For example. landline phone issues aren’t conveniently solved at a physical location—the device can’t even be brought into the store, so perhaps an online chat portal is a better fit. But when it it comes to issues surrounding mobile connectivity, in-store could be the perfect opportunity to bring in the actual device and dialogue face-to-face with a representative for a troubleshooting session.

The challenge to this upgrade in contact channel options means more experiences for telecoms to manage, though no matter where the telecom and customer interact, the experience should remain consistent. As telecom technology moves forward and a fast, quality internet connection becomes all-the-more a necessity, the investment will prove itself more than worth it in due time.

The most important piece of counsel any brand can receive is to invest generous resources in really listening to customers. Listening is more that doling out surveys, providing comment forms on your website, and even offering a real human to hear a complaint. With today’s technologies, customer listening can be always-on, multifaceted, and feel a lot more like a reciprocal conversation than an interrogation. Listening also consists of letting the customer know you’ve heard them, and taking their advice. Just like any human relationship, it’s not nice to ask if you have no intention of responding with integrity.  The logistics in doing this may be infinitely complex, but the rules of good human relationships remain pretty simple.

If telecoms will let them, customers can serve as valued consultants in helping these organizations focus resources in the right places to have an impact that matters to both customers and the bottom line.