In fact, the whole of humanity, our health, our economy and our planet are in the midst of the ultimate crisis. I say ‘ultimate’ because we have been through similar situations before. When things go wrong, it is only natural for the body and brain to panic. We experience a range of emotions, from panic and denial to frustration, anger, apathy and confusion.
At times like these, understanding how human emotions evolve can help us to manage the situation as a business. Whether we are talking about customers or employees, they are all human!
The better businesses understand the emotions of their customers and employees, the better they will ADAPT and RESPOND to the crisis. The way in which businesses adapt and respond will define them now and in the future.
As some of you may already know, I describe the customer experience as consisting of three parts: FUNCTIONAL, ACCESSIBLE and EMOTIONAL.
The functional component represents the organisation’s products and services. Accessibility represents how easy it is for customers to interact with these products and services. However, the third component is the most important: the emotional component, or how the experience makes the customer feel.
It is this that the customer will remember.
Customers will either remember that their experience was very good or very bad, or they won’t remember anything at all!
The way organisations adapt and respond shapes how customers remember their experience.
Now more than ever, it is important that shareholders and employees work together to listen to, learn from, understand and respond to customer needs in order to provide a memorable experience.
I am convinced that empathy, the ability to understand and share other people’s feelings, is the core principle of customer experience and the engine of sustainable business growth.
Empathy turns customers into loyal brand fans who invest and recommend you to others. More loyal customers generate more profit – it’s that simple!
Keeping the principle of empathy in mind, I would like to conclude this article by outlining five areas on which businesses should focus in order to control the customer experience during times of crisis.
What are you currently doing as a business to move forward, and what kind of experience do you want for your customers and employees? Ensure that you communicate your message in a way that reflects the changes that have occurred in the lives of your customers and employees.
If you want your employees to provide an unforgettable experience for your customers, then first and foremost, you must ensure that you have taught them how to do so. Treat your employees the way you want them to treat your customers.
In order to show empathy to your customers, your employees must think and act in their best interests. This means giving them more leeway than 100% compliance, regardless of the situation. If employees only do what they are told, they will not empathise with customers, which will negatively affect their experience and your people.
Now is not the time to dictate to customers and employees. Now is the time to listen to them, make them feel safe and earn their trust. Listen to their needs and concerns, and act on them. This will have a powerful impact on how they feel and what they experience.