September 15, 2014
Herb Butler
Filed Under:
Culture

Defining The Ultimate Customer Experience

What is the “Ultimate Customer Experience” and how is it different from good customer service? Inspired by Scott McKain’s Collapse of Distinction, FinishMaster’s Lead Team set out to redefine the standard experience our team provides to our customers to be the ultimate experience. 

The foundation of the difference lies in what our organization aspires to be: an organization of “everything to everyone” or an organization aspiring to be distinctive.  Our choice is to be a distinctive organization and our focus is on creating noteworthy experiences which drive loyalty of our existing customers and grabs the attention of prospective customers. 

We started to change our perspective on customer experience by breaking down the difference between standard service and creating customer experiences, as explained by McKain, by examining the three phases of customer interaction.

Level One: Processing

At FinishMaster, we refer to McKain’s level one processing as table stakes.  These are the basics, better said, all of the standard elements associated with processing a transaction.  For us, that means having inventory, taking orders in the field or over the phone, establishing a standard delivery schedule, providing credit, and opening new accounts.

These elements do not make us unique; all of our competitors perform the same tasks when supporting their customers.  Table stakes are the standard; meeting these standards when a shop selects us as their preferred supplier is not optional, it is the foundation on which we grow our business together. 

Level Two: Service

With the understanding there is always room for improvement; we believe we have a solid foundation in Level One Processing.  McKain’s next level focuses on service. We ask ourselves, “What are we doing to make it easier for you to do business with us?” We describe this as our gift wrap, the things that enhance our table stakes, make the transaction more efficient, or grow our relationship.

Our level two service is as simple as answering the phone with a smile, offering electronic ordering, or as complicated as providing technical support and product training.  Our service goal is for you to be a happy, repeat customer at FinishMaster. 

Level Three: Experience

Experience is the real difference maker for us and for our customers.  Our commitment, starting at the top of the organization and including every one of our team members, is to execute specific service strategies that create a positive emotion from our customers.

Through this personal connection to the services and support we supply, we hope you see FinishMaster sincerely cares about the success of your business.  Once we reach level three, our goal is earn your loyalty and be a key factor in your success.

How do we get to Level Three: Experience?

Accomplishing or even earning the opportunity to achieve Level Three Experience requires flawless execution of Level One and Two.  Without flawless processing or service, our organization will never earn the chance to offer you Level Three Experience.  Think about it, would you have an emotional connection to us, or trust us, if we don’t deliver on time or we make mistakes on orders, even if the process is gift wrapped with electronic ordering options? We understand the answer is no.

To look back at the original question, defining the difference between “Ultimate Customer Experience” and good customer service, our team is constantly evaluating our ability to create positive and warm emotions with you while executing flawlessly the table stakes of our industry. To improve, we are educating and training our team members to understand the difference between good service and the ultimate experience. Creating emotion is the key to customer loyalty and earning your repeat business!

My next blog, “Creating a Customer Focused Organization,” explores more opportunities to enhance our customers’ experience.