Customer Experience And Small Business
Have you seen the movie Gosford Park? If you haven’t, put it on your watch list.
Beside being full of mystery, drama, shocking secrets and the dry wit of the English, it explains, better than any definition I’ve seen, the root of creating exceptional customer experiences.
The director, Robert Altman gives us an intimate glimpse of the servants’ lives and how tediously difficult it is to meet the expectations of the wealthy. In a priceless scene, the indomitable head of housekeeping, Mrs. Wilson, asks the newest domestic a question and then answers it herself:
“What gift do you think a good servant has that separates them from the others?
It’s the gift of anticipation.
And I’m a good servant. I’m better than good. I’m the best. I’m the perfect servant.
I know when they’ll be hungry – and the food is ready. I know when they’ll be tired – and the bed is turned down.
I know it before they know it themselves.”
Mrs. Wilson, Gosford Park
How To Create an Unforgettable Customer Experience
Most large companies struggle with keeping their business dealings personal. One client is much like any other.
Mrs. Wilson explains why small business has the advantage in creating customer experiences our clients will never forget. Just as she knows her guests, we know our clients. And that knowledge is more precious than a corporate sized budget.
Look at your client list. Pick the best. Then work with your team and build a profile that you keep in a CRM or address book. In addition to contact information, your customer experience profile should include:
- Communication style. Are they brief and concise or do they enjoy conversation?
- Their spouse. Are they married? To whom?
- Their children. Do they have children? What are their children’s names? What are their ages?
- Hobbies.
- Their birthday and anniversary.
- Life events (graduation, death in a family, recent surgery).
- Favorite vacation spot.
- Favorite foods and drinks. This is good to know so you can have them ready in your office or to give as gifts.
- On what would they never splurge that you can provide?
Customer experience is not about the size of your budget. It’s about providing what they want, before they ever ask.
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About Alicia Arenas
[...] between customer service provider and client within a small business environment. In her post, “Customer Experience and Small Business,” she shares lines from a Robert Altman movie scene, providing a perfect script from which to emulate [...]