Customer Analysis Blog

Whilst it is true that the intent to include the customer is well established within process methodologies, the measurable output remains focused on customer satisfaction and traditional research metrics. For instance, companies would qualitatively assess’ where our stakeholders want to be?’ and ‘what our customers needs are against a cost benefit analysis.’

In the CEM view consumers are not treated just as ‘rational satisfied actors’ but also possessing of emotional responses. Hence the measurement and understanding of emotions is a key area that should be appreciated alongside the usual insight measures of satisfaction. Fortunately, this is a component of CEM easily integrated into BPR / Six Sigma/ Lean’s statistical and methodological orientation

The advantages and disadvantages of BPR and Six Sigma

One of the challenges in looking at a Customers Experience is it can touch all parts of an organization and thus many different parts of the organization. A lack of coordination between departments is normally one of the many causes of a poor experience as it is not coordinated and gaps / overlaps appear.

As I reflect back to my 25 years working in blue chip companies the reality is people are naturally very focused on their own department, overcoming their challenges, and working to achieve their targets. But who looks at the overall experience of the Customer?

I have written about a few bad experiences and the learning from these. Here is an example of a good experience and the learning. Last weekend I was in Sarasota, Florida. I rented a car from Hertz. As I drove to my hotel I stopped to go into a store. I had put my wallet in my jacket which I had placed in the boot (the English word for trunk). I opened the boot/trunk, collected my wallet and then closed the boot/trunk with the keys inside! Doh! What an idiot

Aren’t people strange animals. I am constantly surprised by people’s behaviour. It has just happened to me again. I am sat outside a Starbucks in Sarasota in Florida, enjoying a coffee, some sunshine and writing some stuff for the blog. A guy walks up to me and says “will you look after my bike for a moment, whilst I go in a get a coffee”? Here is the bike….nice huh?

“Of course” I replied.

Why me I wonder? Why not the young girls chatting on the next table to me?

I was recently delivering a conference speech in Singapore and stayed at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. A few days after my visit I received a Customer satisfaction survey via email. I am always fascinated by what people measure as this sends a subconscious signal to the Customer about what the organisation thinks is important.

One of the questions the Mandarin Oriental Hotel asked was “How well did we anticipate your needs?” ‘Wow!’ I thought. ‘They are trying to anticipate my needs….. and more importantly they are measuring it!’

As a geek on the Customer Experience I notice all the little things and take great delight in seeing good practice. A few days ago we decided to take members of the London Beyond Philosophy team to Disneyland Paris, as a thank you for all their hard work.

The internet is the holy grail of worldwide information.

With the click of a button, the press of a few keys and you can find, read and copy endless reams of information. The cut & paste culture that has developed on the web has been integral to its growth. However, it is also seen by some as its potential cultural downfall.

There is a general movement towards patient centred care. You see the NHS talking about it in the UK. You hear it in the healthcare debate in the USA. It seems we have turned the tide and most people involved in healthcare conceptually agree that patient centered care not only provides better clinical outcomes, it provides better health cost management. At the core, patient centered care puts the patient and their caregivers (i.e., family, close friends) an integral part of the health care team where they collaborate with health care professionals in making their care decisions.

Management may plan one thing but different employees approach issues differently

Has it happened to you! You approach one employee with a request, hear it can’t be done, then go to another and see how easy things can be? Or how about the time when a definite ‘’No’’ turns into a “well let me see what I can do’’ and then a final “yes of course we can”.