The Keystone Differentiating Factor for Homologous Organizations
The global business space is dynamic with similar and seamless product and services offered by several players in the various ecosystems. Product and services innovation is very fluid with almost all homogeneous organizations offering similar or related services hence, the significant differentiating factors over the decades in the Nigerian business space are first, Service and second is innovation which of course is propelled by service in its entirety and then corporate governance that is the organizational wheel.
Many promising companies that have failed over the history of small, medium and large system globally were caused by failure of the three factors (Service, Innovation and Corporate Governance).
From market behaviour and experience, there are three ways to disrupt any industry in the business world today which are: lower price or incentive that is a management prerogative on the standpoint of corporate governance; innovation and unique service.
Interestingly, innovation is not going to disrupt the market, it has disrupted it already and the equilibrium point of market’s response to new innovation is very rapid hence, any new innovation is easily ‘copied’ or duplicated and adapted by competition who might even have the better financial-will to implement those earlier than the pioneering organization. However, the only thing that can always disrupt the market irrespective of changes in time is unique service in all ramifications which of course is a primary reason why innovation thrives.
While corporate governance and first-to-market innovation are management framework, unique service is the responsibility of all the stakeholders of any organization from the gate to the CEO office and the attitude of unique service must be coded in the organizational DNA.
Customer Experience Management
If service is the keystone differentiating factor, then, every organization must understand how to manage customer experience from the physical contact to virtual reality. Customers are more akin to exceptional service now than ever before and they want service, speed, security and satisfaction hence these are the attributes of service experience.
The customer wants the needs to be served appropriately (Service) at the fastest way possible (speed) perhaps using digital tools at the convenience of their time, void of any form of losses (security) and at the end, all the needs are satisfactorily met (Satisfaction). This is the circle of the customer experience management. The product and services you are offering must serve a need (staple or luxury) to the customer, it must be delivered are the speed that exceeds customers expectation in a secured manner and at the end all the needs of the customers are satisfactorily met.
The Six Types of Customers
The six thinking hats model was first introduced by Edward de Bono in 1985. Having seen absolute truism in Bono's school of thought, I have extracted the thinking pad to define the six types of customers, who they are and how you can satisfy them as illustrated below. This might not be an exhaustive thought but across the service ecosystem and on the various platforms, if you can apply this model, you would have won the customer and retain the loyalty forever. Always understand the hat the customer is putting on even from the data mining online and digital behaviour, you can provide appropriate service that will endear the customer to your brand forever.
To deliver an exceptional service experience to the customers, an organization that wants to differentiate product offering must know and understand the hat the customer is wearing and be able to match the needs with appropriate solution(s) that will sweep the customer off the feet without prejudice. Every service personnel must understand the emotion of the customer and deliver matched service that appeals to the core and engenders repeat sales.
Understanding these hats and the application of the same will help you achieve and maintain an exceptional relationships with people. When a customer is wearing a black hat then you know you have to put on a yellow hat , be positive first and then wear a green hat to initiate a better way to attend to the customer.
As an entrepreneur or customer facing person in any organization, you need to study, internalize and apply the use of these hats in the quest for exceptional service experience for the customers then you will win.