Have you ever had a customer service interaction that left you wondering if this was the same brand you bought from? It's a common experience—customers falling in love with a product's innovation and quality, only to have their enthusiasm dampened by lackluster customer service. As a founder, it is your job to bring your innovative spirit to every function, including customer services, because doing so is the only way to truly build a customer-centric product/service ecosystem.
Imagine you've purchased a cutting-edge gadget from a tech startup, and you're ecstatic about its features and performance. The product is a technological marvel, but when you encounter an issue, the customer service experience falls short: You contact the customer support team for assistance, but the response is generic and detached. It's clear that the customer service representatives are following a scripted playbook, and your specific issue is not being addressed. The very innovation that drew you to the product in the first place feels absent in the customer service interaction.
Now, imagine an alternative scenario. After reaching out for support, you're amazed by the level of understanding and empathy exhibited by the customer support agent. They not only resolve your issue but also offer suggestions on how to use your gadget in new ways and make personalised recommendations that fit in with the hobbies you briefly mentioned while making small talk with the agent. This experience reinforces your initial excitement about the product, making you a loyal advocate for the brand, possibly for life.
The difference between those two phone calls lives in the entrepreneurial mindset of funders and how they chose to share it with their customer facing functions.
Photo by Polina Zimmerman
Here are four reasons why founders should approach their Customer Support functions with the same mindset they have towards innovation and product development:
Designing a Seamless Ecosystem: When founders stay connected to customer success, they can create a product and service ecosystem that seamlessly integrates innovation and customer-centricity. This means that the same creative thinking that goes into product development should extend to enhancing the customer experience, from the first time your customer comes across an advert, through to their post-purchase experience, everything will feel cohesive and spark the same feeling of joy as using your product for the first time.
Encouraging Customer Advocacy: Exceptional customer service can turn your customers into advocates. A positive interaction can amplify their enthusiasm for your product and transform them into loyal advocates who spread the word about your brand. Think about this as free advertisement, with the added bonus of having an integrated testimonial which will entice new customers to try your product.
Continuous Improvement: Real innovators thrive on feedback, and the customer success function is a treasure trove of insights. Founders who are actively engaged with customer support can use this feedback to refine their products and services, ensuring they evolve to meet the changing needs of their customers.
Competitive Advantage: In a competitive landscape, customer service is a differentiator. Founders who prioritise customer success are more likely to stand out and attract and retain customers over the long term. In fact, a Gartner study estimates that over 80% of companies primarily compete on the basis of customer experience.
Stuck for ideas on how to bring your passion for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to your CX function? Don’t worry! That’s exactly where I come in.
Hasta Diciembre!
Ori