I’m writing this post sitting in a popular coffee shop in one of the ten largest cities in the world. My server asked me to fill out a comment card which included a segment for feedback and suggestions. My input was the same today as it has been on at least 4 separate occasions previously. Needless to say, if they had incorporated any of the changes I suggested, I would not be repeating myself.
My suggestions might be useless, but what is the point of asking for my email address on a comment card if you’re not going to acknowledge my input? How do I know if anyone looks at the comment cards, or if the employees throw them in a pile and watch them burn? How will I feel about this coffee shop if the restaurant I dine at tonight actually does reach out and contact me? Would it be better if they didn't have a feedback form? My experience, opinion, business and its recurrence should constitute part of the metrics they monitor daily.
This is just one of the issues businesses face today. It isn't that feedback forms are a new discovery. Consumers today are more aware, have more choice and have more leverage (read power) than ever before. That trend is unlikely to change in the immediate future.
Responsiveness to consumer needs, efficiency in communication and rapid adjustment of product offerings are all tenets of startup thinking since the customer’s feedback is at the core of the lean startup model; as a sounding board during research, as a partner in development and as a litmus test for the viability, feasibility and profitability of the business. These are three markers on a recurrent loop.
The litmus test serves as feedback which has to immediately be incorporated into the development/next iteration of the product, which leads to testing and more feedback and so on.
There is a misconception that startup thinking can only be applied to new, tech-centric companies. This is not the case; established companies can use the same methodology to bring the customer front and center. If governments can do it with citizens then large corporations really don’t have an excuse not to.
Anything except a superlative customer experience is undesirable. Social networks have a lot to do with this reality today. A couple of bad reviews on Yelp, a few negative tweets about discriminatory service or a Facebook post about a subpar experience is all it takes for most consumer facing businesses to experience an immediate decline in volume, unless there is a monopoly.
The opposite is also true. The details escape me, but a couple of years ago a gentleman with several thousand followers on Twitter sent a tweet to Morton’s - a popular upscale steakhouse - referring to a short, late night flight he was about to board to a destination somewhere in Northeast America, and how he would love a Morton’s burger to be waiting for him when he landed. Someone in the Morton’s management read the tweet, got an approval, had the order prepared and driven 30 minutes to the appropriate airport to hand deliver it when he landed!
The fact that I remember this a couple of years later speaks to the efficacy of their stance.
For user experience to be superlative, it has to be intuitive and simple. In this rather extravagant example, the customer initiated an outrageous request with no expectation of fulfillment. Yet it simply materialized seamlessly. Not every organization will entertain bizarre requests, but even for the simple ones; How often do you experience remarkable service? Which companies value your feedback as a customer? How often do you get exactly what you want, when you want it, at the price you want to pay? This isn’t a vision of commercial utopia; it is an achievable reality that is visible sporadically if you look long enough.
Businesses like Zappos, who are simplifying the customer experience by listening sensitively to their customer’s needs are experiencing great returns (Zappos sells a curated line of branded clothing and shoes at a number of price points through their site and includes free overnight shipping both ways thereby removing the risk and hassle associated with returning products).
Simplification is sometimes misconstrued as stripping away of features. Achieving simplicity requires the construction of complexity, and then carving away the unnecessary bits to natively include excellent but simple design. Morton’s created a social media presence which is monitored constantly. They have flexibility in their standard operating procedures which includes allowances for the extraordinary. Their escalation procedures are quick enough that getting approval was almost instantaneous and the availability of a delivery mechanism to deliver 30 minutes away is no small feat in this part of the world.
Despite the obvious benefits of relevance and growth, many entities inquire about how to initiate evaluation and redevelopment efforts. As a general rule, the following four steps usually kickstart most cycles.
Break the mold: ask if things are the best they can be, and if not, then how can they be made better.
Talk to your customers, clients and citizens constantly: It is the only way to learn quickly and not be wasteful with all resources.
Expect tweaking of components: perfection is usually achieved iteratively, not fabricated unilaterally.
Don’t wait for the right time or opportunity: it is more often created and harvested. It is less frequently serendipitous.
This post on recursion also brings this series full circle to its origin.The purpose of this series was to outline a process, which includes shifting our perspective and modifying our methods, to not only stimulate our dormant entrepreneurial side, but also come up with a better plan to do something.
It remains that though; a plan on how to do something. Knowing what to do is far more important than knowing how to do it. In my estimation, that perhaps is the essence of an entrepreneur; a person who knows something needs to be done even though they don’t quite know how to do it.
Shortcomings notwithstanding, a person astute enough to see opportunities, bold enough to be different, smart enough to acknowledge limitations, impatient enough to be nimble, flexible enough to improvise, courageous enough to ask for help, educated enough to absorb criticism, humble enough to learn and persistent enough to try again.
This rather long and convoluted definition has a purpose; to identify the constraints and weaknesses which make us stagnant and impervious to progress.
Irrespective of the magnitude of the challenge or the state of affairs, history has shown us that innovation and progress ultimately triumph. It usually depends on how long it takes for everyone to try together, side by side.
The writer is a technology advisor and strategist.
Twitter Handle:@yasserbrohi
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.