Most businesses think they need to choose: automate for efficiency or keep humans for the “personal touch.” That’s the wrong problem entirely. The companies actually winning at customer experience aren’t making that choice. They’ve rebuilt their operations around a completely different model, one where AI and humans amplify each other through a continuous learning loop.
In Mexico, we have a saying: “Lo que el cliente pida”, give the client what they want. It sounds like great service. But it kills innovation. Here’s why.
Investing in developing a unique customer experience is one of the most powerful strategies a business leader can use, and customer service is at the core of this. I recently read Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara. The book delves into the philosophy and practice of going above and beyond in customer service. The book draws on Guidara’s extensive experience in the hospitality industry, particularly his time at Eleven Madison Park, a renowned restaurant in New York City.
When we think about businesses and their priorities, the customer often comes to mind as the top priority; we talk about being customer obsessed. However, successful companies that are customer obsessed put their employees first, with the belief that happy employees lead to happy customers.
In today’s competitive marketplace, companies are realizing that the customer experience is everything. However, what many companies are overlooking is the importance of aligning the employee experience with customer satisfaction. After all, happy employees are more likely to provide a positive customer experience, which leads to higher customer satisfaction and ultimately, increased profits.
Customer obsession is thrown around as if every business does it. Truthfully, most businesses are profit obsessed; not customer obsessed. So what does customer obsession look like? A business that says they’re customer obsessed is one that sees their customers as their North Star; they start from them and work backwards.
What makes a business stick positively in the mind of its customers? It’s many things, but I’d argue that service is a big sticking point. Providing a great customer service will never be bad business, and boy do most businesses have a lot to improve in this area.
