Why Customer Experience Is Just Like Gift Buying

Ok raise your hand if you have not even started your holiday shopping yet. Yes, my hand is firmly raised. Trust me, we are not alone for many holiday shoppers are in the same dilemma. Or maybe it's not a dilemma as perhaps some actually enjoy waiting to the last minute.

But that's another story for another time. 

Today we're talking about customer experience and why it can be just like buying a gift, 

One Size Most Assuredly Does Not Fit All

Has there ever been a more ambiguous phrase than "one size fits all?" Who is all, anyway? I can tell you being 6' 3" and weighing 250 pounds, I have never found a single item that carried this label where I was considered part of the "all" crowd. 

The phrase became so useless that it had to be changed to "one size fits most." Yeah like that makes it such more specific and targeted, huh? 

Today’s consumers are demanding: they have become more unforgiving of a poor customer experience and expect interactions on their desktop and mobile devices to be responsive, intuitive, and easy to use. Marketers must understand that delivering the most relevant experience is the key to gaining continued satisfaction and loyalty from their digital consumers.

Oftentimes, however, when it comes to marketing to consumers there are two dynamics. On one hand you have what consumers say they want out of a customer experience. On the other hand, there is what they actually receive. 

What they want are experiences that are personalized, contextually relevant, and consistent—regardless of online or offline channel or lifecycle stage. What they too often get, however, are experiences that are disconnected, not contextually relevant, and inconsistent across channels and lifecycle stages.

So please stop trying cram the "one size fits all or most" mentality on your customers and prospects. It doesn't work and worse than that, you run the risk of alienating those same people and in turn losing them - forever. 

Maybe I Was Wrong

You know I owe you all an apology. There is something that truly does fit all. It's the perfect gift for any marketer on your list. No it's not a fruitcake - not that there's anything wrong with that. 

I'm talking about Customer Experience Simplified, the guide to help you deliver the experience your customers want. Ok if you want to throw a fruitcake or a Snuggie in, be my guest. 

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