Make things easier for customers Chapter 12. Exceeding Customer Expectations with Convenience and Timing Make things easier for customers

These provide opportunities for exceeding expectations Learning objective 1: Understand what constitutes A-plus convenience and timing Customer convenience arises from speed of service and ease of doing business These provide opportunities for exceeding expectations

Act to convey to customers that you value their time Learning objective 2: Know ways to produce A-plus timing and convenience Act to convey to customers that you value their time Surprise customers with timely service. Set a deadline and beat it Make customer’s life easier

Examples of convenience breakthroughs Historically: Pizza delivery Quick lube shops Mobile restaurants At home auto glass replacement Others? What else could you do to maximize convenience?

Learning objective 3: Use virtual waiting techniques Reduce the annoyance or inconvenience of having to wait by: 1. Matching capacity to demand with extra staff at peak times, more open checkout lines, incentives for customers to come at off-peak times, etc.)

Reduce the annoyance or inconvenience of having to wait by: 2. Managing the perception of the wait time by distracting customers 3. Making the wait invisible with virtual queues that allow customers to do other things while waiting (E.g., shop or walk nearby until receiving a pager signal)

SIMPLIFY THE PRODUCT FOR EASE OF USE Learning objective 4: Know ways to make doing business with you easier for customers REDUCE CUMBERSOME OR REPETITIVE SYSTEMS (e.g. unnecessary paperwork or repetitive busywork) CREATE ONCE-AND-DONE SERVICE (e.g., avoid passing customer off to other departments.) MAKE DOING BUSINESS EASY (e.g., shopping carts, help carrying merchandise, Web site that compare products and pricing, ancillary services such as Wi-Fi available in coffee shops, etc.) SIMPLIFY THE PRODUCT FOR EASE OF USE

Learning objective 5: Measure you’re A-plus convenience efforts Continuously monitor effectiveness of A-plus efforts Assess such things as How long do customer contacts take? Can these be done more efficiently without rushing the customer? How easy-to-use is your phone system? Your Web site? Could you offer delivery, shopping assistance, immediate online chat, or instant email response? Are you well aware of what conveniences your competitors are offering?

A final thought Customers are easily surprised by efficient, convenient service that goes beyond what they anticipate. Apply the “little things” principle to anticipate customer needs and meet them promptly.