Artelogic has begun its journey in 2012 and since that time the company applies this client-centric approach to the software they develop, while constantly thinking on how to improve the reality of their own clients. In today’s competitive world, you can improve your communications, be exceptionally transparent with your customers/users, come up with new slogans and logos, test and try many things. However, what clients do really value is the way they are treated by the company, i.e. their customer experience.
So, there can be no doubt that a simplified customer experience means a better customer experience. One question remains: how can you enhance your brand’s reputation with it?
What Makes Customer Experience Simple?
- Concise Information
Think about Google’s main page. There are a search bar and two buttons on the white background. This is it, simplicity at its best. At the same time, it is unfair to call Google itself simple – the search algorithms are a state-of-the-art technology.
For instance, simplicity means making all the legalese easy to comprehend for someone who doesn’t have a degree in law or creating simple instructions and guidelines for using your services.
- Taking The Shortest Route Possible
Now, think about the app that irritates you the most. Obviously, it annoys you because it requires you to tap and swipe too many times to perform a certain action. Every. Single. Time.
This example illustrates the ultimate recipe for excellent customer experience: don’t make your customers go an extra mile. Minimize the number of actions they need to do to get what they need. This applies to every possible interaction you may have with an existing or potential customer.
For example, if you run a brick-and-mortar store, make finding what your customers need easy with signs and directions. Your website and/or software solution users should always make the minimum number of clicks or gestures to perform a certain action.
Making customer experience simple doesn’t mean reducing the face-to-face interaction to one line like “How can we help you?”. Make sure you maintain the balance between making the interaction simple yet satisfying for the customer (personalize your message, choose the right time, etc.).
- Processes – Think a Few Steps Ahead
Excessive bureaucracy has never been beneficial for any company. Making all the processes simpler is what you have to start with. By processes, we mean the sets of actions that either the consumers or the employees do to fulfill certain tasks.
For instance, the process of placing an order on your website should require the minimum number of actions and the least amount of information about the customer, but enough to be safe and effective.
As for working processes, keep them as simple as possible, too. If your employees spend more time preparing reports than doing their actual job, this is the case of excessive bureaucracy. Reporting is necessary, but you need to keep it wise. Make sure to set the processes in a way that allows employees to reach their maximum productivity.
- Expertise & Experience
The more experienced employees are in their lines of work or the more right team is composed for the particular project, the better they are at reacting to customers’ requests. This means two things. Firstly, they get their tasks done faster. Secondly, they deliver results of higher quality.
For instance, it will take more time for an inexperienced manager to figure out how to solve the client’s request. Or, an app developed by an inexperienced developer is more likely to be full of bugs or to receive negative feedback on poor user experience design.
- Time
Time efficiency can be achieved thanks to well-set internal and external processes, routine tasks automation and the sufficient experience of the team members.
- Return on trust as a commitment
Trust is something that simplicity can’t exist without. We consider trust as a way of managing client’s assets, such as time, belief, idea, expectation, privacy, personal data. It is the most valuable currency, which can be achieved by building transparent relations. As Jon Gordon, the best selling author on leadership said: “Trust generates commitment, commitment fosters teamwork, and teamwork delivers results”.
Every team member should be trusted to make small-scale choices to enhance the customer experience. Employees should be free to go an extra mile if needed.
Making customer experience simple should be a part of the corporate culture. Employees should believe that their mission is to make every experience outstanding and hassle-free, and you should trust them to come up with the best ways to do it.
How to estimate the success in making customer experience simple? The NPS is an answer. By interviewing your clients, you allow them to evaluate your service, give you honest feedback and set better standards if needed.
In the core of all ideas mentioned above, there is a thought that the client’s satisfaction is the only service to be paid for. Remember, profitable businesses do not emerge from dissatisfied customers. Here’re a few reasons why bringing simplicity to complex processes is necessary if you want your business to succeed:
- Consumers Are Willing To Pay For It
It might sound like a bold statement, but simple experience always wins. Why? In the modern dynamic world, time is one of the most valuable resources since it is finite and irrevocable.
According to Global Brand Simplicity Index 2017, 64% of consumers are ready to spend more on simpler experiences. If your company values the customers’ time and efforts, you can be sure they will appreciate this and opt for your brand even if the product is more expensive than the one other companies offer.
- Higher Retention Rate
Simplicity is the key to higher retention rates and, consequently, revenue growth. There is a price to be paid for mistreating customers. Did you know that gaining new customers costs, on average, 5 times more than retaining existing ones. The thing is, it is easier and less expensive to promote your new product or features to existing customers than potential ones. Besides this, it is just plain common sense that customers who enjoyed the experience are more likely to make a purchase from your brand again. As a result, your revenue is higher and the costs are lower.
- Peer-To-Peer Advertising Is More Efficient
Global Brand Simplicity Index 2017 says that 61% of consumers are more likely to recommend the brand that provides simpler experiences and communications. And consumers are quite susceptible to such recommendations: 92% trust the recommendations coming from people they know personally, and 82% of consumers actively seek referrals from their partners, friends, family, and acquaintances.
Believe it or not, but the good old word-of-mouth marketing remains to be among the most reliable advertising channels you should be paying attention to. Remember: a satisfied customer is your brand’s advocate, and simplicity is what makes them satisfied.
- It Makes Financial Sense
Consequently, if your brand doesn’t strive for simplicity, you lose many. You lose it when you have to invest in acquiring new customers because you have difficulties with retaining your existing ones. You lose money because your margin could be higher thanks to the streamlined customer experience. Finally, you fail to exploit the peer-to-peer marketing at full capacity.