Sherrie had used that airport one too many times. Sure it was convenient to her home, only 20 minutes away, but it seemed like every time she scheduled a flight, there was a delay. And since it was not a “hub” airport, if she had to fly any significant distance, she’d have to make a connection, and then more delays would occur. Delay after delay, and re-route after re-route. There was too much uncertainty about her arrival time or her ability to make connections.
The next time she had to fly, Sherrie decided to go to the larger airport that was located over one hour away. Sure the fare was no better, but she had a direct flight to her destination. She traveled the extra distance to the larger airport, and she got on her non-stop flight. It took off late but made up time in the air, and it landed early. On her return, she was late getting back because of air traffic, but there were no worries about making a connection. There were no worries about getting re-routed to a different city for the second leg of a trip, since this trip was non-stop. There was none of that uncertainty.
Some customers aren’t as concerned with product price if they know what’s going to happen. Some people’s goal is to avoid hassle. They’re more concerned with process predictability than product price.
People concerned with process predictability, those concerned with avoiding hassles – those are the people that customer service-oriented companies love. Because those customers put a premium on the aspects of their experience not driven purely by the product. The service processes, consistency, and quality are differentiating factors.
Identify the types of services you provide that are very process-driven or time intensive. Identify the customers whose satisfaction and repeat business are driven by these key factors of customer service.
Then help your company become more predictable for your customer.
Signup for FREE Tips! Contact Us More Resources for You Visit Our Home Page
