Gelattina

CEM (Customer Experience Management) is one of the building blocks that have spurred the growth and success of sites like Amazon and even physical chains like Starbucks in recent years. It’s a new way of marketing and the newest “frontier” to be reached, explored and exploited by academics and businessmen alike.

Generally it has two meanings; it’s either the sum of experiences a consumer receives from a supplier in the lifetime of their relationship or an individual experience in one transaction. It has a heavy weight on the strategy of any firm that has an interest in long-term growth, because with the passage of time, price differentiation is becoming less sustainable and similar products are generally available in a wealth of places.

So, in what ways can a company establish a loyal relationship with their consumer?

One way, is by innovating in their service and consumer experience. Let’s go back a bit to the reference examples mentioned in the opening paragraphs (starting by the more tangible example of the two):

Starbucks has become the de-facto place to have a coffee in a large chunk of the world in less than 20 years. Part of its success resides on the fact that the experience there is unique and clearly defined. It’s the same in every store, and that’s what gives it its value. While the coffee or drinks by themselves are good enough, it’s the ambience and mood that keep people coming back.

On the virtual world, we have Amazon. Some sites claim online costumer experience as its known today was created by them (an even refer to the years before and after Amazon as BA and AA), and while the fact can be arguable, what’s not is that they are the masters of the craft.

Amazon isn’t only safe, obvious and easy to navigate (which SHOULD be the standard everywhere). It has three  “experience definers”:

First, that it does what a clerk that knows you would do(recommend stuff based on your particular tastes). Secondly, that if gives you the opportunity to give feedback and opinions on your purchases. This last process starts transferring loyalty from the products themselves to the site, and people go buying there because they know they can get information on their prospective purchase. Lastly, the customer receives top-notch service through the whole digital and physical processes of their purchase. Amazon is transparent, trustworthy and straightforward.

Even though many sites have copied Amazon’s approach none quite do it the same as the original has, which is proved by the retailer ongoing success.

So, what does this leave for the rest of us mortals? For me particularly, it boils down to one sentence: Find you essence and stick with it.

The success of the mentioned companies not only reside in their innovation, but also in the commitment they have shown in sticking to their notions through thick and thin, finally reaching the desired results. I think this last idea is even more important than pure innovation.

Over and out!