How Organizations Can Reconnect with the Human Side of Their Business

Shep Hyken interviews John Sills, Managing Partner at The Foundation, a customer-led growth consultancy. He is the author of The Human Experience: How to Make Life Better for Your Customers and Create a More Successful Organization. He talks about the three myths hindering organizations from connecting with their customers and providing an emotional, human experience.

Top Takeaways: 

• Over the last 20 years, organizations have been busy improving the functional experience (doing more things, faster, and cheaper than ever before) at the expense of the emotional, human experience.

• In his book, The Human Experience, John Sills shares the three myths that create poor customer service.

Myth #1. The Myth of Customer Feedback. There's never been more data coming into organizations through surveys. The danger of this myth is that the amount of feedback convinces leaders that they are doing what matters to customers, but what they actually have is their customers' opinions about their business. Leaders need reconnect with customers and learn about what matters in their lives. This is how businesses can truly be useful to customers.

Myth #2. The Myth of Customer Loyalty. Customers are only loyal to companies as long as they stay useful. If a more useful alternative comes along, customers are going to leave. This myth is a problem because once organizations believe that customers are loyal, they stop trying. They start taking their customers for granted.

Myth #3. The Myth of Return on Investment. You have to change the mindset that good customer service is going to make you money. The mindset should be that a good customer experience is more efficient and cheaper to execute while a bad customer experience is really expensive to provide.

• There are two types of efficiency in customer support/contact center. The first one is about taking the maximum number of calls per hour. The second one is getting it right the first time, regardless of how long it takes.

• Plus, John shares how a Swiss Rail train breaking down has led to one of the best customer experiences he has ever received. Tune in!

Quote:

"The world is a better place when organizations are making things better for customers."

About: 

John Sills is Managing Partner at the customer-led growth company, The Foundation, where he works with organizations across the world. His first book, The Human Experience: How to make life better for your customers and create a more successful organization, is now available.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.

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