Great Client Experiences Start With Simplicity
This Christmas, we reached a new family milestone. Our teenage daughter received her first cell phone. We held off for as long as we could. Or as long as what seemed reasonable based on our values and her status as, according to her, “the last kid in school who didn’t have a phone.”
Seeing how these devices can create unhealthy distractions — and being very aware of the push and pull relationship I have with my own phone — Meghan and I were very thoughtful about this investment. Besides, she’s a responsible kid and has plenty of “real-world” interests that she gives considerable time and attention to.
But this story isn’t about that. No, it’s about the experience we’ve had after the phone was purchased. I wouldn’t describe myself as tech-savvy, per se, but I’m typically able to problem solve and figure things out when things go awry with our devices.
My grandfather could build or fix pretty much anything. My father is the same. And me? I’m adept at cleaning lint from the iPad’s charging port before wiping it with an alcohol swab.
The legacy continues.
So what should have been a very simple set up — specifically syncing our daughter’s old Apple Watch to her new iPhone — instead has turned into a nearly month-long saga where I’ve been ping ponging throughout nothing short of a terrible customer experience.
Are there much bigger problems in the world? Absolutely. Without a doubt.
But I believe that the way these systems are set up are indicative of something that we shouldn’t ignore: The removal of people who are incentivized to help other people and replacing them with automated systems that are (seemingly) designed to exhaust you.
The Power of Listening and Empathizing with Clients
After going around in circles at home trying to sync the old watch to the new phone (watching YouTube videos, reading Apple support forums, researching Reddit, etc.) I decided it was time to face the facts. It was unavoidable now. I had to go to the Verizon store.
After a short drive, I arrived at the store, armed with every password, pin, and hint a reasonable person could need.
I explained the situation to the Verizon representative, and he smiled confidently. “Have a seat. Let’s get this fixed up for you.”
“Phew,” I thought to myself. This is just what I had hoped.
But after about 15 minutes of tinkering, the rep looked perplexed. “This is weird. Where did you say you purchased these devices?”
“Best Buy,” I replied, bracing myself for what was coming next.
“Yeah,” the Verizon rep continued. “Take it there. I’m sorry we can’t help you, but they should be able to help you out.”
So I made the trek to Best Buy, walked to the Geek Squad area, and hoped for the best.
A Great Client Experience Means Limiting the Hoops They Have to Jump Through
Now, let me be clear about something: I did not have an appointment, and because of that, I did not assume they could help me, but I was hoping for a miracle. What I received instead was frustration.
The Geek Squad staff member was very kind. He wanted to help me, but our issue was no simple fix. I was told that in order to be helped, I needed to download an app to my daughter’s phone and use that app to make the appointment. Despite my being there physically in the store with him, he could not help me book a time to come back.
I went home, downloaded the app, and booked the appointment. Everything would go smoothly from there…right? Not so fast.
The day of my appointment, the Geek Squad left me a voicemail. Our daughter’s watch was considered “vintage” and they would not be able to help me. Except, the watch was not vintage. It was six months old.
So I called the store to address the mixup and confirm my appointment, but instead of getting to speak to someone, I was sent through a phone tree that was downright labyrinthine. And it was glitching, so I wasn’t even able to hear the questions it wasn’t allowing me to answer.
After being on hold for a half-hour, I finally was able to speak to a representative (an incredibly kind person!) and confirm that I indeed still had an appointment.
(Note: I actually had to stop writing this to go to the appointment. This is what we in the biz call a cliffhanger! Except you didn’t experience it. I did.)
It’s the Attempt: A Great Experience Doesn’t Always Mean Your Problem Is Solved
So I went to the Geek Squad appointment with very little optimism that this issue would be solved, bracing myself for what might happen next.
And you know what? They weren’t able to figure it out. In fact, they recommended I go back to Verizon. But here’s why that doesn’t make me feel upset: They tried so hard to solve my problem.
The customer service that the Geek Squad showed me was exceptional. She listened patiently to the situation, she used every tool at her disposal, she got colleagues involved, and she was able to narrow down the root of the problem. Simply put, she cared. And her colleagues did, too.
They had never encountered a situation quite like the one that I’m facing with this device. It piqued their interest. They genuinely wanted to get to the bottom of things and make sure that I left the store happy that my problem was solved. This sort of obsession with problem solving is palpable. It’s the sort of thing you want to feel when you’re facing a problem while you’re in another’s care.
While I didn’t leave the store happy that my problem was solved, at the very least I walked away happier feeling that someone was doing their best on my behalf.
That, in my opinion, is what lies at the heart of creating great client experiences — listening, empathizing, and exhausting your toolbox of solutions.
Every Encounter is an Opportunity for us to Create Better Client Experiences
Throughout this entire process, I kept thinking about Formada. I kept thinking about our clients, and what I want them to feel when they work with us. Imagining them being put on hold, pushed through confusing menus of options that don’t quite address the problem they’re facing, or people shrugging their shoulders, saying, “Looks like you’re gonna need to go to ________.”
These are the sort of client experiences I never want them to have.
It makes me proud to know that we’re the sort of organization that is very much against the idea of putting roadblocks in our systems that prevent our clients from receiving direct support from our team. It’s quite the opposite. Our operational strategy isn’t designed to stifle — it’s built for growth because of the emphasis we place on transparency, communication, and placing clients directly with the subject matter experts who are best suited to help them.
So while this might read as, as my close friend, Scott, put it “a middle aged dad rant,” it’s really more of a reflection. (In his defense, I may have referred to this Apple Watch situation as “societal rot,” but a fella needs to vent from time to time.)
The reality is, as business owners, we have the power and the responsibility to deeply influence how our clients feel in our care. Even if we can’t solve every problem or provide answers to every question, we can listen, we can empathize, and we can extend the helping hand of our humanity in order to remind them that there are those of us out there who have their backs when they need it.
It’s the very least that we can do.
Alright, I’m headed to the Verizon store. Anybody need anything?
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