ositive experience

Why does customer experience matter

October 17, 2019/Rachel Hargrave
A recent report from the Data & Marketing Association suggested that 62% of consumers who switched brand in the past 12 months did so because brands successfully attracted them, rather than…

… bad customer experience pushing them away

At first glance this statistic may lead many to believe that the delivery of poor customer experience doesn’t really matter; after all, the customers did not leave as a result of it.  Wrong!  These customers may not have been pushed away but they were certainly left susceptible to the advances of another company and essentially that’s kind of the same thing.  The end result is certainly the same – lost business and lost revenue.

Whether it’s a question of pushing or pulling, at RDZ PR we are great believers in the provision of an excellent customer experience.  Not only does it increase the chances of gaining new business through referral (a very valuable route to new clients) it can also be a very important differentiator at a time when consumers have such a wide choice of providers to consider.

From a Marketing point of view these are interesting and challenging times we are living in. Here are just a few reasons why:

    • Brand loyalty isn’t as strong as it once was and can no longer be relied upon to hold onto customers in the longer term
    • Availability of information has increased and so too has the ability of the public to learn more about companies, increasing the possibility of finding an affinity with (or, conversely, an objection to) brand activities
    • The digital transformation boom has changed consumer behaviour on many levels and traditional marketing strategies may not be sufficient to predict and react to trends quickly enough
    • Stagnation of wages has resulted in more selective, value-savvy consumers who have learned to make income and budget go farther by shopping around for both small and large scale purchases
    • Price comparisons, availability- checking and product reviews are the norm and consumers can now ‘self-serve’ instantly seeing if they could get a better product or service elsewhere for a lower price

Providing a reliable and good experience for customers gives a level of stability for both parties.  It’s a great foundation from which to build a successful, ethical business and develop a positive company culture to attract and retain great staff (perhaps the greatest challenge facing companies today).  Being treated well commands a level of respect from the customer too and sets a very high bar for those wishing to steal them away.  They may have choice, they may have the tools and incentive to research alternatives, but they will need to find something pretty darned good in another offer to tempt them away from the high service levels they’ve come to expect from you.

Just as any great warrior in times gone by, today’s triumphant marketeer needs to have a sharp sword to advance (a well-planned marketing strategy) and a trusty shield for protection (an unblemished record of good customer experience).  It may not literally be a battlefield out there but, when it comes to client retention, it can often come pretty close to feeling like one!

If you would like some reinforcement when it comes to service excellence, then get in touch with RDZ PR today.  We can help you build and protect the kind of reputation that wins and keeps business.

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Rachel Hargrave

Rachel has over 30 years of local, regional, national and international communications experience and expertise across a wide variety of clients including FTSE 100 companies, SMEs, micro businesses and start-ups. She also has extensive charity, Not-For-Profit and Community Interest Company experience and happily offers clients working in these areas a 50% discount on all RDZ PR rates.

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