Many of us work at corporations that are coping with increasing pressures and finding a way to stay relevant now and in the future. Hopefully, the companies we work at aren't waiting, hat in hand, for the bank/government to decide their fate. Hopefully, management has had the insight to save cash, manage debt, and produce value creating products/services. In a few months we shall all know who has been standing naked when the lights turn on. Lets fast forward to that point. So now we're all standing naked in a well-lit room - great - but the next few years after that will determine which ones get to stay in this well-lit room and which ones get led to certain death. Which companies will survive, and more importantly, why will they survive? Why is this an exciting exercise? No, not because I am some sort of business geek, but because we all either work or are invested in corporations. For better or for worse capitalism has prevailed and made corporate enterprise the only vehicle through which to create wealth. (Whether you own your own business or work at one).
Here are two words that will separate the winners from the losers: customer experience. I don't mean the 1800 numbers on the back of peanut butter jars - "yes, hello...my nuts are too salty, can I please get a refund?". I mean the true customer experience - the smell, touch, sight, taste, and sound of doing business with a particular service or product. Every single time we transact with a company we receive a customer experience. Remember that old adage: "people don't remember what you told them, but how you made them feel"? Well, this is exactly what I am talking about. Think about the last time you bought something -- do you remember what the sales person said? Maybe. But I'm sure you remember how you felt when you bought the product and how you felt when you left the transaction. I'll give you an example:
I recently walked into the Apple store at Fairview Mall. Now this is an experience...
Touch: Everything was smooth to the touch, with soft clean lines and new age plastic.
Sight: In line with the clean chic image, the store was minimalist, a lot of whites, and loud pinks, green, etc. The shadows of people dancing were there too but that didn't take away from the Apple logo - notice that there are no faces per say? The product is the face of Apple.
Sound: I know there were people in there talking, but for some reason I felt like there was no sound at all - it was a very peaceful environment.
Smell: Nothing that I can recollect - again speaking to the clean, chic image of the brand.
Taste: Haha, I sure didn't lick any cpus but I'm betting it would have tasted like an Apple? Lol - gay humour...no for real...obviously I didn't taste anything but that is part of the experience. I've also been in clothing stores where the perfumes in the air can almost be tasted - producing a negative 'taste' experience.
So needless to say, the Apple store experience was a positive one. My sixth sense (my gut) was drawn to the presumed quality of the product and the simplicity of its design and function. I didn't buy anything - but my next computer will be an Apple. There - they've converted an HP lover by creating a tight, well-supported community of product enthusiasts. If I buy a Mac I'd feel part of this warm and fuzzy family that create cool applets and have Genius Bars at the stores for any and all Apple related questions. Do you see Dell, HP, or Lenovo doing the same? Talk about different experiences! Dell spells out I-N-D-I-A in Hindi...they are a pain to deal with and the online experience isn't as graceful as the Apple Store at Fairview. So will Apple ride the economic storm on a profitable horse?? Perhaps - but I will guarantee that they won't be the first few cpu companies to bite the dust. Why? Simple - they get customer experience.
Now don't get me wrong - one doesn't need to spend millions of dollars on marketing and design to excel at customer experience. One just has to capture that essence of what people expect and look for when coming to deal with you. A good example is the Dollarama - when I go to the dollar store I expect cheap, made-in-China shit. But how many of us have gone into dollar stores and seen messy aisles, cheap crap, and nothing too great? Well walk into a Dollarama...you'll be surprised with the stuff that you can get for a buck...plus its pretty clean and organized. Did they spend a ton on marketing and design? Nope. They merely figured out what they stand for and did it well. To make it even clearer; check out these brands...one has a loyal following that aren't too price sensitive and the other is a well-known brand but can easily lose out to a cheaper product:
New Balance vs. Nike (people LOVE NB, people like Nike)
Apple vs. HP/Dell (people LOVE Apple, people like Dell)
Britney vs. Christina (people LOVE Britney, people like Christina - okay I think Christina is way more talented but people go NUTS over Britney...why?)
BMW vs Benz
Toyota vs GM
Ferrari vs Lambo
Tiffany's vs Birk's
Le Chateau vs Urban Behaviour
GE vs ING (lol - shout out to toops)
Anyway - you get the idea. The company's that 'get it' will have an easier time keeping and stealing customers from those that don't. If I were a CEO I'd be investing money in my front-line people right now...they're the ones who have to go the nine yards to ensure delightful experiences for us shoppers. Cash is gonna be tight for the next little while - why shouldn't you be smiling when you're spending it away??
BEACE
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