How Small Customer Experience Improvements Can Add Up

Bite-Sized Delight From the Episode:

• How you can use small customer experience improvements to make a big impact.
• Why L.L. Bean changed their famous return policy.
• What office signage says about worker morale.
• Using customer segmentation to deal with problem customers.

CX PRESS: 1 Percent Improvement [02:07-10:20]

This week we take a look at James Clear’s article, entitled, “This Coach Improved Every Tiny Thing by 1 Percent and Here’s What Happened.” Dave Brailsford used “the aggregation of marginal gains” to help Great Britain’s professional cycling team win the Tour de France. By improving everything that they did by 1%, and those small advancements added up to big improvements. We look at how you can make small customer experiences improvements add up for your business.

Tweetable Quotes

Empower your employees to make the change at the moment they notice it. #CX Share on X
The secret to big success is making small customer experience improvements. #CX Share on X
The British cycling team won 70% of the gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games. #CX Share on X
Companies focus on major policy shifts, but little enhancements have a huge impact. #CX Share on X

Takeaways

• Many companies focus on major policy shifts, but little changes can add up to have a huge impact.
• Look for customer experience improvements that seem small but might have a compounding effect.
• Once you make an improvement in one area, look to other areas and find ways to make incremental improvements there, too.

THIS JUST HAPPENED: L.L. Bean [10:20-19:45]

L.L. Bean is famous for its return policy, which lets you return an item at any time and for any reason. It’s been that way since the company’s founding in 1912, but they’ve had to change it because people have been taking advantage of the policy for cash. The number of returns had doubled in the last five years and was costing them $250 million. Dan and Joey discuss whether or not the company made the right move.

Tweetable Quotes

It’s a shame when the behavior of the few impacts the experience of the many. #CX Share on X
Consider a move to go in the right direction even if it doesn’t solve the problem. #CX Share on X
I’m a big fan of firing customers that aren’t a good fit. #CX Share on X
Give the majority of your customers the best deal possible but keep the gamers at bay. #CX Share on X

Takeaways

• Find a way to keep the people who game the system at bay while giving the vast majority of your customers the best deal possible.
• You can fire a customer who isn’t a good fit.
• When you need to make a sweeping policy change, consider the move that gets it going in the right direction, even if it doesn’t solve the problem.

DISSECTING THE EXPERIENCE: Restroom Signage [19:47-28:47]

Joey was at a rental car agency recently when he spotted a wall with FIVE signs pointing towards the restrooms, all on the same wall. We talk about office signage and how that sets the tone for the customer experience, and how changing it can make customer experience improvements.

Tweetable Quotes

I spotted a wall with five signs pointed towards the restroom. #CX Share on X
Signs can be a great asset, but they can also promote bad customer service. #CX Share on X
Make sure you cover the basics to establish foundational customer experience. #CX Share on X
Everything in the office contributes to the visitor experience. #CX Share on X

Takeaways

• Don’t assume that someone new to the building knows where everything is.
• Everything in the office contributes to the customer experience.
• Take a look at the layout of your space and make sure you’re communicating what you want to communicate.

CHECK OUT THIS NUMBER: 15x [28:49-31:02]

Customers with the highest likelihood to return an item are 15 times more likely than normal customers, according to research from Custora. Insights like these and more from Oracle CX.

Tweetable Quotes

Customers with the highest likelihood to return an item are 15 times more likely than normal customers. #CX Share on X

Takeaways

• Segment your customers and figure out how to communicate to problem customers differently.

Be a Part of the Show!

We’d love to hear about your great customer experiences, which segments you like, and your ideas for future episodes!

Are You Looking for Things We Referenced?

• “This Coach Improved Every Tiny Thing by 1 Percent and Here’s What Happened” by James Clear
• Smarter CX by Oracle
• Rev.com

See you next week!