This post will refer to a speaker discussing politics; however, I promise this is NOT about political philosophy. It IS about an aspect frequently overlooked by many business leaders — even those with the best intentions.
In today’s business environment, research shows that customers are looking for organizations that reflect their values. (McKinsey & Co.’s white paper, “Diversity Wins,” is but one of the major research projects proving the point.)
Organizations that display their commitment to diversity and inclusion will meet the needs of a varied and constantly changing customer base.
However, an additional type of diversity is a critical ingredient in ensuring that your organization can create distinction in this challenging time.
At the recent Youth Citizenship Seminar at Pepperdine University, liberal commentator Steven Donnell asked the students in attendance what “diversity” meant to them. As you might imagine, they responded with answers such as racial equity and acceptance of all sexual orientations.
Donnell then stated another challenge is that many liberals he knows have zero conservative friends — and vice versa. He challenged the group of students to not only concern themselves with the most frequently mentioned aspects of diversity but also incorporate the diversity of thought into their lives.
Organizations that value “thought diversity” are open to new ideas and different ways of thinking. This openness allows them to understand their customers better and anticipate their needs.
By valuing thought diversity, you send a message to your customers that you’re open to hearing their perspectives and addressing their needs. This type of diversity is critical for customer success.
In 1970, singer/songwriter Joe South had a minor hit with a song, “Walk A Mile in My Shoes.” The lyrics may be even more relevant today than when it was first released:
You can have a team that displays the diversity we all desire regarding the aspects usually associated with the inclusion efforts. These are efforts we should all be making.
But if everyone on your team thinks alike, you will likely not be appealing to the broad spectrum of customers you desire.
Certainly, it is challenging to deal with people who disagree with how you see the world. However, the result is worth it for your customers — and your company!
The next time you’re discussing diversity and inclusion in your organization — as you need to — make sure that thought diversity is on the agenda. Just like the other forms, it’s a type of diversity critical for customer success.
In today’s market, customers have more choices than ever before, and they’re not afraid to switch brands if they’re not happy. As every business strives to stand out from the competition, an increasing number are now turning to the customer experience as their critical differentiator.
That’s why businesses that focus on delivering an “Ultimate Customer Experience®” are gaining a competitive edge.
By definition, an Ultimate Customer Experience is one so positive and memorable that it assures customer loyalty and ongoing referrals.
It’s no secret that providing an exceptional customer experience can be a challenge — but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Businesses that deliver an Ultimate Customer Experience enjoy:
increased customer loyalty
higher customer lifetime value
and more robust word-of-mouth marketing.
Here are three steps to initiate the Ultimate Customer Experience® (UCX):
Define what an exceptional customer experience looks like for your business. This means going beyond simply evaluating, then meeting customer expectations. First, you need to commit to significant research to understand what your customers expect you to deliver thoroughly. Then, develop the internal systems required to exceed those expectations at every opportunity.
Educate and train all employees on the importance of delivering an exceptional customer experience. Everyone from the front-line staff to the CEO needs to buy into the idea that the customer experience is a crucial differentiator for your business. Your team must learn the specific aspects of what determines a UCX for your particular business – and they must be educated on the attitudinal and behavioral elements required to create high levels of customer engagement.
Constantly measure and improve the customer experience you’re delivering. Use customer feedback to continuously improve the way you do business. Your customers are likely to provide their feedback via social media and other forms of communication. Commit to leveraging technology to drill deeply into where the errors are in your processes so that you can stop manufacturing customer dissatisfaction.
By following these steps, you can start to differentiate your business by delivering an Ultimate Customer Experience®. When you accomplish this, you will stand out…and earn more!
If you’d like to learn more about the impact a UCX will have on your business, contact me! (I’m available on every social media platform – and email: Iconic@ScottMcKain.com)
We own the federally registered trademark on the term “Ultimate Customer Experience®” — and are, therefore, the ONLY company that can legally present training, coaching, speeches, and consulting on this vital topic.
The bottom line is this: if you want your business to thrive in today’s competitive market, you need to focus on delivering an Ultimate Customer Experience.® It’s the distinction difference that will make you stand out from the crowd.
At a recent conference, an executive told me that she used to be a general manager of a Walmart store. She related that the training she received was from former members of the inner circle of founder Sam Walton. She then had a dreamy look and said, “Those were great days! Oh, the way things used to be…”
Tradition is essential to many businesses and organizations. It can be a source of strength, providing a sense of stability in an ever-changing world.
However, tradition can also be a source of stagnation, causing businesses to cling to old ways of doing things even when they’re no longer effective.
Steve Jobs famously told Tim Cook that Apple should never adopt the mantra of “What would Steve do?” He felt Disney had suffered and stagnated by always asking, “What would Walt do?” during times and situations that their founder had never encountered.
Innovation is essential for any business or organization that wants to stay relevant and competitive. But it’s not always easy to strike the right balance between tradition and innovation. Too much innovation can cause chaos and confusion, while too little can leave you stuck in the past.
It seems to me that the key is to find a way to respect and value tradition — while also embracing innovation. After all, the best way to serve your customers is to constantly look for new ways to exceed their expectations.
Here are four ways we demonstrate a respect for tradition:
1. We keep things fresh by constantly looking for new ways to do things, but we also recognize that some things are best left unchanged. It’s the oldest example around, but did we really need “New Coke”? I think not. However, recent innovations — like an energy drink that combines Coke and coffee — keep an established brand fresh. This approach can work for a small business just as effectively.
2. We strive to provide the best possible customer service, but we also know that sometimes the old-fashioned way is still the best way. In today’s world, it seems we want to throw out anything perceived as “old.” Yet, just because it has been around for a while doesn’t necessarily mean it is out of date. As a bourbon lover, I’d be the first to tell you that there’s a reason the “Old Fashioned” has not gone out of style. Don’t change something just to make a change.
3. We embrace change when necessary, but we also hold on to some things just because they’re a part of who we are. In other words, core values have always been critical — and you don’t need to change those. You can improve and tweak approaches, but “throwing the baby out with the bathwater” is seldom a profound strategy.
4. We value the experience and expertise of our elders, but we also recognize that they may not always be aware of the latest advances. It’s sad but true. You haven’t earned the right to comment or advise on an issue or situation you aren’t aware of. That means that if an experienced executive or entrepreneur believes she can make decisions about technology which she doesn’t know much about, she is deluding herself. No one knows everything. This is why I don’t listen to a Hollywood star’s political opinion. Playing an exemplary Hamlet doesn’t ensure that you know what you’re talking about regarding climate change. Respect people in the areas where they have earned respect.
As we strive to provide the best possible customer experience, we must also realize that sometimes (perhaps often), “the way it used to be” really is the best way.
When I asked the woman at the event why the previous training was so superior to current efforts, she replied, “Because all of those involved with Sam Walton had a laser-focused approach on the customer. Today it has become too much about inventory management and getting required reports done and submitted to Bentonville.”
Let’s face it — she is right!
Sometimes the way it used to be — is the right way…when executed congruently with today’s marketplace demands.
It can be tempting to oversell our products and services in today’s competitive world. But this approach can backfire, making customers and prospects want to avoid you altogether.
This aspect has always struck me as slightly ironic, as no person wants to be around a pushy salesperson — even pushy salespeople when THEY are the customer! Yet we can easily fall into the trap of overdoing it when it comes to our own products.
Here are a few key things to keep in mind if you want to avoid over-selling:
Remember that your customers are people too, and nobody likes to be “sold.” Instead of thinking about how you can make a sale, focus on building a relationship. Focus on building relationships with potential customers rather than solely on making a sale.
In my book, ICONIC, we discuss how top producers in every industry are the ones who focus on creating Ultimate Customer Experiences ® — not those who push prospects to the point of surrender or escape. By getting to know customers personally, we can pave the road that will ultimately lead to more sales.
Next, don’t be afraid of competition. In many cases, customers will appreciate having multiple options from which to choose.
Your job is to become the most distinctive option so that you do all that is possible to ensure selection. This means you constantly ask: what is unique and remarkable about doing business with you — as opposed to your competition?
Finally, focus on engagement rather than hard selling. If you can get customers involved with your product or service in a meaningful way, they’ll be more likely to buy from you down the road.
As mentioned earlier, customer engagement is a key to avoid the appearance of over-selling.
Here are four steps to help you improve:
Make it easy for customers to give you feedback. You can make it easier for them to let you know when you provide them with a way to do business that is simple and convenient. Having this in place will also alert you when there is friction in your process that needs to be eliminated.
Use social media to start a conversation. For example, use short videos that explain the value of your product or service (from the customer’s perspective) and post them on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. If you’re not using social media to its maximum benefit for connecting with customers, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.
Get personal. Customers like doing business with people they know and trust — get to know your customers on a personal level. Examine your CRM and other tools to see if you’re recording easily accessible information that helps you remember — and use — your customers’ personal preferences.
Make it fun. As mentioned, nobody wants to be sold to — but everyone likes to have fun. If you can find ways to make your product or service more enjoyable, customers will be more likely to engage with you — and therefore, buy from you. The goal is NOT to be frivolous — but it IS to enhance the enjoyment factor of doing business with you. No one likes friction when dealing with any organization.
The key is to strike the right balance between promoting your wares and engaging with potential customers. If you come across as too pushy, people will tune you out. But if you’re too subtle, they may not even realize that you have something to offer.
Finding the sweet spot can be tricky, but it’s worth taking the time to get it right. By following these tips, you can avoid over-selling and instead focus on building relationships, engaging with customers, and becoming the most distinctive option in your industry.
(We would love to assist you in finding that “sweet spot” in customer engagement! Contact me here for more information on how keynote presentations, consulting, coaching, and virtual training can move you and your organization to distinction.)
Purpose can be a powerful motivator for individuals and teams. When people feel that their work is meaningful and they are contributing to something larger than themselves, they are more likely to be engaged and enthusiastic about their work.
Purpose can also help to create a strong team culture. When everyone is aligned around a shared goal or vision, it can help to build trust and cooperation. When team members feel like they are part of something larger than themselves, they are more likely to be committed to the team and its success.
Recently, I had the privilege of keynoting a conference for SkinCure Oncology. While neither they as company, nor their process of treating skin cancer called GentleCure, is widely known at this point, I was profoundly moved by how the purpose of the organization inspired and motivated their team.
The meeting began with a video showing patients who had received MOS surgery to deal with their cancer. Frankly, the video was graphic and upsetting. It displayed the facial scars and damage to the patient’s appearance that was the result of this common procedure.
GentleCure from SkinCure Oncology treats the cancer differently — and with a success rate over 99%. The patient’s appearance is preserved and the procedure earns a customer satisfaction score of over 99%!
The mission of SkinCure Oncology is to provide patients with a choice beyond the traditional approach of MOS. Unfortunately, most dermatologists aren’t yet offering this approach as an option to their patients — and SkinCure is on a mission to change that!
What’s your mission? I don’t mean something as simplistic as your “why” — which can easily vary from one team member to another. Your mission is your organization’s overriding purpose for your very existence. It doesn’t have to be grandiose (although it might be), but it does have to be something more than “closing transactions” or “making money.”
Three ways to discover your purpose:
customers — what need are you solving for them?
employees — what motivates them to do their best work?
shareholders/stakeholders — what is your ultimate contribution to the world?
Answering these questions can help you discover your purpose as an organization — and that purpose can be a powerful motivating force for your team! Your ultimate contribution can be changing the face of skin care for cancer patients. Or it might be something as simple as creating delight and memories for families at a dining experience. Whatever your mission, if you want to inspire your team, start by sharing your purpose with them.
Help them understand why what you’re doing matters, and how their work fits into the bigger picture. It’s a simple but powerful way to build engagement and commitment.
And when you have engaged and committed teams, you create loyal and enthusiastic customers! That’s a recipe for success and distinction for any organization.
(Sometimes we all need a bit of assistance in finding our purpose. It’s the old saying that we can’t see the forest for the trees — an outside perspective can help! If that the case with you, we would love to assist. Contact me here on LinkedIn to learn more about how training, coaching, consulting, and keynote presentations from our organization can be a catalyst for your organization to create distinction and deliver an Ultimate Customer Experience!®)
Recording artists often release a “greatest hits” compilation. And let’s face it, when you go see your favorite singer or band, you certainly want to hear them play the songs you know by heart.
Yet, all my friends in the music business seem to have one thing in common. No matter how many hits they’ve previously recorded, they continue to create new material.
There’s a lesson there for every business and any leader.
Just as in show business, experimentation and change are essential to continued success no matter how successful you are. That’s why the most innovative companies encourage their employees to experiment and take risks. And it’s why the best leaders are always looking for ways to improve.
If you want your business or career to continue to flourish, don’t rest on your laurels. Many years ago, Rick Nelson revitalized his stagnant career with a song named “Garden Party.” In the tune, he talked about playing all the old hits but realized that “if memories were all I sang, I’d rather drive a truck.”
Unfortunately, what we take for granted in the music industry isn’t always embraced in the corporate world. We seem to think we must keep “playing our hits” without developing new methods and approaches to dealing with customers.
I often inquire during my presentations, “Imagine I asked your customers to name something you’re doing differently or better to serve them today than how you did a couple of years ago. Would they be able to name an innovation or improved practice right away?” At this point, many in the crowd look down or shift their eyes away. You know the reason — most of us just keep doing what we’ve always done.
Here are three reasons we need to continue to innovate:
1) Experimentation allows us to find new and better ways to serve our customers. If we fail to try something unique — and our competition is willing to be creative — we run an enormous risk of turning our best clients into the competitor’s best prospects!
2) Change is essential to our survival. In the words of Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but rather the one that is most responsive to change.”
3) Innovation distinguishes us from our competition. If we’re not constantly striving to be better than those we compete against, we’ll soon find ourselves struggling to keep up.
If you’re not innovating, you’re falling behind. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
The next time you’re tempted to play it safe and just stick with what’s worked in the past, remember that your greatest hits may not be your greatest future.
If you need to have your thinking challenged positively — or bounce ideas off of a leader to stimulate your creativity — I’d love to help. Whether through personal coaching, professional consulting, keynote presentations, or virtual training programs, we’re ready to help you expand your number of hits and earn standing ovations from your audiences (your team and your customers)! Just contact us for more information.
