We often hear how bad micromanaging is. And when it comes to your employees I would agree. But have you ever thought about micromanaging your customer’s experience? From the first contact all the way through to the follow-up after the sale. Most companies, or should I say business owners, don’t do this. So just what is micromanaging the customer’s experience?
Let me describe this with an example of very successful law firm. This law firm was very customer / client focused. From their website, to how they answer the phone to how they treat you when you come in for your scheduled appointment. If you were a client of this firm here is what you would experience when you walk through the door.
You would be greeted with a smile. Seems like this is a no brainer but trust me it is not.
Once you told them that you have an appointment and are here to see an attorney they would confirm it and then offer you a “menu” of refreshments. Yep, a menu. While you wait you get to sip on your favorite beverage, and you had many to choose from.
Even before you are finished with your beverage you are greeted by a legal assistant and escorted to a private conference room. And if you are paying attention you will notice that your name is on the wall just beside the door stating that this conference room is reserved just for you.
So lets say that you are there to do some estate planning and you need to give the attorney all of your family, financial and future goal information. You are not asked to fill out page after page of information – not in this firm. Even before you get settled in your seat good the legal assistant begins to ask you questions and begins to fill in all the documents for you.
When the process of documentation is over the legal assistant excuses herself letting you know that the attorney will be right in. And within minutes the attorney appears holding all the documents that were just filled out for you. He reviews them briefly with you and you can tell that he has already read over them.
Then he lets you know the next steps and asks if you have any questions.
Wow… and your return visit to sign the documents would go just the same way.
Or is (and be honest here) your customer’s experience more like what I experienced at a hotel a while back. What you will read below is my email to Kristina, the hotel manager.
Kristina,
Good morning. I am taking a few minutes to send you a quick email. I visit your city on business about every 3 months. I usually stay at the same hotel but thought I would get a new perspective and stay at a different place - yours. My trip from Florida on Sunday was a tough and very long one. I arrived at the West Palm Beach airport around 3pm, and after two flights and several delays I arrived at your hotel around 2"am" Monday morning - yep a very long day (and night).
When I arrived the guys at the desk were nice as could be. I was worn out and they gave me my key and I headed to my room. When I came out of the elevator on the 2nd floor I was hit with a bad smell - something like sour water/carpet. When I opened my door I saw two small beds. Perhaps this was what I booked but was really disappointed because all I wanted to do was sleep in a big bed like mine at home. I called down and they said they could move me with no problem. So I grabbed my bags and headed back. When I got down there they said they couldn't move me because it would cost me more. They didn't give me the option of paying more and they knew how tired I was. They could have moved me at no charge and made me a fan.
So back to the room I went. I got up Monday morning (actually about 4 hours later) and headed to breakfast. I found the juice machine was broken and was told that it often is, the food was just okay but not even close to the other hotel that I usually stay at. And every time down that hall way I was hit with that smell. When I took my shower I found that the conditioner bottle was not a new one, it was 1/2 full used by another guest. Are you kidding me??? I left for my work - to be gone all day.
The bench out front of the hotel is a law suit waiting to happen - just FYI.
When I got back to the room and going into Tuesday (today) the people that cleaned the room didn't do that good of a job and didn't leave "any" shampoo or conditioner. I called the desk - had to call multiple times to get someone to answer - to get them to bring me some.
All in all, I am disappointed. I will be going back to my original hotel. I hope this email will help you in your work.
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So my question to you is – what is your customer’s experience like? Do you micromanage every step of the way like the law firm or not even close like the hotel?