BusinessNews Publishing - Summary: What Customers Really Want: Review and Analysis of McKains Book

Book Abstract

There is a fundamental disconnection between what customers really want and what businesses currently offer. Customers want a personal connection with the people and the organizations they do business with so the outcome is a compelling experience rather than a mere transaction. When this happens, your product or service itself becomes compelling rather than just a commodity which can be purchased anywhere. This business-to-consumer disconnection frequently occurs in six major areas:

To bridge this gap, two actions are needed:

• Increase the amount of time you devote to strengthening the culture of your organization.
• Focus on building the relationships you have with customers so you provide them with a progressively better experience.

  It is possible for you to establish greater connections with your customers, provide them what they really want, and grow your business all without expending significant amounts of money. This is more of an exercise in commitment and execution than budget. Its having the right philosophy about what your business is really all about.

  Scott McKain

About the Author

SCOTT McKAIN is vice chairman of Durham Capital Corporation and vice chairman of Obsidian Enterprises, recently named as one of the fastest growing public companies in America. Mr. McKain is also a cofounder of The Value Added Institute, a think-tank focusing on creating enhanced customer experiences. He is a member of the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame and a frequent commentator on FOX News Channel. Mr. McKain is also the author of All Business is Show Business .

Mr. McKains personal Web site is at www.scottmckain.com .

Important Note About This Ebook

This is a summary and not a critique or a review of the book. It does not offer judgment or opinion on the content of the book. This summary may not be organized chapter-wise but is an overview of the main ideas, viewpoints and arguments from the book as a whole. This means that the organization of this summary is not a representation of the book.

Disconnect #1

Too many organizations confuse the concept of customer processing with customer service and customer experiences. Each of these three terms represent a different level of customer interaction. Customers want their purchases to deliver an engaging experience. When that occurs, feelings of passion and excitement are generated which easily differentiate one business from all others. In short, the key to generating memorable experiences is to treat your customers like youre going to see them every day for the rest of your working life.

The three general levels of customer interaction in the business world which often get lumped together are:

Customers want their transactions processed promptly and accurately. Anything you can do to improve the speed and efficiency here will be appreciated, but it will be simple for your competitors to duplicate. For that reason, improving your processing wont give you a sustainable competitive advantage. Customers dont really want to feel processed. To make transaction processing more palatable:

• Use the customers name as often as possible.
• Inject a little appropriate humor.
• Make things as friendly and smooth flowing as feasible.
• Find ways to make the wait part of an experience entertaining.

Many organizations think customer service can be delegated to just one distinct part of the operation. Thats incorrect. The delivery of great customer service needs to become a pervasive part of the mission and culture of your entire organization. You have to prove to your customer that service to them is part of the very fabric of your organization.

Customer service also entails forming a reciprocal relationship with your customers. Customers want to know youre committed to delivering a level of follow up which is beyond mere processing. You have to treat your customers as people rather than as mere statistics. Thats a challenge.

Customer experiences occur when customers have emotional connections to your business. This is the feeling which is generated when the business transaction has gone smoothly, the service is excellent and there is an attractive emotional element which engages the customer.

To create a great customer experience, you have to execute well at Level 1 and Level 2 first and then integrate three major components into your product or service:

Taking each of these three elements of engaging customer experiences in turn:

1. Superior information Great businesses dont just know what customers want and need. They also make an intensive effort to discover even more about the customer. They know the reasons why individual customers feel the way they do. A good question to consider is: Does your organization really know more about your customers than your competition does? Note, however, you have to use that information with subtlety and restraint in order for it to be effective. If you tell the customer you know their childrens names and where they live, confidentiality alarm bells will sound all over the place. On the other hand, if you use that information to provide them with little things their kids will appreciate, your clients will take note.
2. Systematic empathy This simply means your employees know they can take the steps necessary to create compelling experiences for customers on the spot rather than going through a long-winded approval process. Great organizations make empathy part of their corporate DNA. They dont hide behind company policies which forbid customers to mix things up differently. Nor are they attempting to exceed customer expectations. Instead, great organizations develop a partnership with their customers which delivers mutual benefits and a long-term reciprocal relationship. When doing this becomes a high priority, an organization has systematic empathy.
3. An obsession for sensations -This means your organization has to prove to your customers you care more for them personally than you do for their money. It means to treat your customers like you plan on seeing them every working day for the rest of your life, and therefore you want a long-term relationship which is more than a mere succession of transactions. Great businesses are obsessed about what customers experience. They embed clues which tell customers theyre enjoying a superior experience to that provided by anyone else. They consider their entire business to be one big customer-service department. This is the way they do more business, cross-sell and attract new customers. As a result, customers are passionate and enthusiastic about doing more business in the future, and often encourage their friends and associates to do likewise.