“Service” in English is a rather obvious and unmistakable term. In German, however, it apparently seems a little trickier. Service, with emphasis on the first syllable is representative for all kinds of services to customers.
The far-reaching digitalization of our life which has since been reduced to time dedicated to our career versus leisure time, is the revolutionary yet at the same time dogmatic myth of our times. In the name of computerization that has gradually evolved into an ideology, we are not only faced with predictions, but also promises or even threats of a rapidly growing transformation.
They are not getting paid, they don’t need an office or a works council. Many businesses wish they had such employees. Surprise – they do! They’ve actually been around for even longer than commonly assumed and they’re more productive than ever. In steadily increasing numbers they are coping with already familiar challenges and beyond that they are trying to complete necessary tasks in new areas of activity. There’s just one thing – they’re not called employees but customers.
At the annual Season Kick-Off, the Saalbach Hinterglemm tourism board combined destination updates with insights on service design and brand experience.
Customer satisfaction depends on expectations. Authentic brands align their promises with the real experience, building credibility and trust over time.
A sign at the deli counter sparked a simple question: what is the brand actually promising, and how does that match the real customer experience?
Social media is still the least-used way to interact with customers, but CEOs expect it to become a key channel. Two examples show how leaders communicate today.
Extraordinary customer experiences do not happen by accident. Disney and Apple show how deliberate orchestration across touchpoints creates loyalty.
Customer orientation only works with satisfied and, above all, engaged employees. Investing in engagement strengthens loyalty, competitiveness and results.
Entrepreneur sounds different than founder. Culture, language and support systems shape whether people dare to build something new.
If you type the words "digital transformation" into the google search bar you will get 12.900.000 results, with "Industry 4.0" you will receive 38.900.000 search results, and if you search in "Internet of things" you will be presented with a whopping 199.000.000 search hits. One can therefore reasonably assume that things are happening.
A company is only then successful if it understands its people. Probably a seemingly trite finding, yet – how does a company arrive at that sort of understanding and what group of people is being referred to? The customers, one would respond immediately, and that’s correct, of course, however, the company’s employees are playing an enormously important role too.
Multichannel does not automatically improve customer experience. Without integration across processes, culture and tools, it becomes a trap.
Retail is not dead in the online era. But it must stop fighting on price alone and instead design authentic experiences that combine online and offline.
Digital natives grew up with the internet. They expect transparency, speed and authenticity, and they demand seamless experiences across channels.
We may refer to them as the baby boomer generation, X, Y or Z, we may reverently call them the “digital natives”,we may try to classify them according to typologies, such as traditional, modern, post-modern, however, there is one thing that applies to all: customers have become more demanding than ever before, because in today’s “web age” they have access to a seemingly endless range of online offers 24/7.
Booking platforms bring guests, but they also take a heavy commission and distance you from your customers. Hotels can design better, more direct experiences.
When was the last time you were truly impressed by a company– as a customer that is? Yeah? When, where and why? Just the fact alone that you had to think for a while – or perhaps even have to think about it still – is proof enough of the sad reality that all’s not well in the much hyped about and strongly proclaimed “era of the customer” – well the quintessential ‘golden era of the customer’.
Does satisfaction automatically create loyalty? Customer retention depends on experience, trust, switching barriers and, above all, emotional connection.
In a transparent market, great service is often the strongest differentiator. Wake the sleeping service giant in your organization.
In times of economic uncertainty and channel disruption, services become a key differentiator. Here are concrete trends and examples for 2014.
A small retail detail: supermarkets charge for branded bags, but some offer shipping boxes for free, helping customers and saving disposal fees at the same time.
The Schlecker-to-Dayli metamorphosis shows how much the in-between phase becomes a customer experience of its own, for better or worse.
The DVD experience punishes paying customers with ads and warnings, while pirates offer instant consumption. Convenience and time win.
A "Women's World" inside a Media Markt store raises a service design question: does the concept truly match what female customers want and experience?
Let’s discuss your customer experience challenges.
In an initial, no-obligation conversation, we’ll clarify:
We take the time needed – for an honest conversation between equals. No sales pitch, no standard offering.
Required fields are marked with *
