Customer retention experiences create a rich chronicle of just how it is to work with us, and our organizations. Yet, how many of us are storytelling, featuring our loyal and retained clients?
Chances are, we focus on the dramatic: the big, sexy stories where we clearly are heroes and heroines. Solving daunting problems, overcoming time-intensive obstacles.
Yet, these bold, splashy stories, which our marketing departments love, leave the customer’s biggest question unaddressed: “Will you forget about taking good care of me, once I sign the contract?”
Some of our truly best stories about creating compelling customer retention experiences thus remain untold.
In fact, these stories seem to be so unremarkable to us, that we take these for granted. After all, we just are being, well, “us.” Doing our thing, pre- and post-sale. Regardless of our job titles, professional degrees, level of education or organizational function.
Yet, the further down the sales cycle we go, these are the stories our prospective clients truly want to hear. Then, when our service teams visit with customers, these stories are so easy to tell. Except these teams do not even realize (or have been told) that they actually can engage the customer in storytelling. (Without an additional charge for billable time).
In the complex Industry 4.0 ecosystem, there is a huge reservoir of untold, compelling customer experience stories. Think about it.
Where are the most compelling stories which showcase our best customer retention experiences?
Chances are, that our “standard” operating procedure in pre- and post-customer care represent an impressive chronicle of best practices. These simply are what we do, on behalf of all of our customers. All of the time. No exceptions.
As a result, we take our practices, processes, ethics and values for granted. Yet, these aren’t. In fact, what we do, to win and retain customers, leaves current customers in awe. They know we have their backs, no matter what.
Like the time I conducted a forensic behind-the-scenes inquiry, on my own time. I questioned why my client was being back-billed, over-billed and double-invoiced for redundant products. After all, he thought he already paid in full. And he had. Except, in order to make their numbers and sell new sexy versions of older and beta products, the company I used to sell for, etc., etc., etc. This escalated up to the regional VP, who had my back. Because I am known for having my customers’ backs. Keeping great records and doing my homework on behalf of my customers.
The result? The client had no idea what was going on, when it was going on. I visited with him, to give him a large refund check. Then, in a few sentences, I provided him with the condensed story. End of story? Not quite. As he told me: “Your word is your bond.” And so it is to this day. Even though I have my own company, now.
Have I got you thinking? About compelling customer retention experiences?
Then how about moving one millimeter beyond your, your team’s, your organization’s or your association’s current storytelling comfort level? Today?
Discover the stories that retain customers and members. Compel prospective customers to do business with YOU. It’s not just about your company’s products and services. Contact me today. Let’s identify the best customer retention experience stories you never even knew you had.
Start moving one millimeter forward, today.
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Babette Ten Haken’s One Millimeter Mindset™ keynotes, breakout sessions and workshops help individuals, teams, organizations and associations leverage productive and profitable collaboration to catalyze professional innovation, workforce engagement and customer retention. She serves organizations as an inspiring speaker, strategist, coach and storyteller. Her speaking programs combine her training as a STEM design thinker, Six Sigma Green Belt and Voice of the Customer practitioner with her background in new product development, startups, market research and sales. How’s that for walking the cross-functional collaboration walk? She is a member of SME, ASQ, SHRM and the National Speakers Association. Babette’s Playbook of collaboration hacks, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com.
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Babette, you are bang on with this. It is the small things, the “easily forgotten” efforts, that are the difference between keeping customers longer term. Those stories deserve to be told, because it lets our customers know that we have their back, even over things they don’t necessarily know about. Or, which too easily get swept under the carpet as not being important. Far better to bring them to the light and let our customers know we truly understand what service is.
I greatly appreciate your comments, Frances. Small things, over time, add up to the big differences which retain both employees and clients. ~ Best wishes, Babette