Ensuring sustainable growth means meeting and integrating expectations when it comes to defining the Experience program for employees and customers. As customers, we want companies to deliver more than we expect. We want to live an “experience.”
Nowadays, the Wow Effect, that translates into a stellar Customer Experience, is not something new. It is not even that recent. Since always, humans have always needed to do some story telling, impress and be impressed. Let’s take a look at this ageless trend and try to understand how it works. After all, Theodore Roosevelt said, “The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” Let’s take his advice and dig into the past to better prepare the future.
Adam and Eve, or how curiosity drives customer engagement
Once upon a time, there was the Wow Effect! In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were free to pick whatever they wanted to eat. Only the apple tree, also known as the tree of knowledge, was off limits. The serpent enticed them to eat the forbidden fruit (was it a good or bad decision is a different story…), and Eve was curious enough and gave in. Having tasted the forbidden fruit, she was now introduced to a world never revealed to her before. Actually, she experienced a “Wow” moment.
Why did Eve take such a risk when she enjoyed a perfect, peaceful and comfortable life? What she did demonstrates how curiosity, that unstoppable drive, gets her to do things even though there is no valid reason to do so? Human beings just can’t just settle for an everyday routine. They need to get more out of life. They keep looking for innovations that feed that endless need for novelty. Curiosity compels us to reach further, learn more, explore and discover new things, ultimately achieving more. Curiosity drives consumption as well as innovation : it is about breaking down the barriers, defying limits, exploring new territories.
This story can actually be included in the 101 Business manual: just as the forbidden fruit of the Creator, desirable and off limits (desirable because forbidden?), companies are turning to innovation to meet the needs of their customers providing offerings that improve their comfort and well-being. Companies that focus on innovation gain a competitive edge and are perceived as more attractive market players than the more traditional ones.
The golden calf, or how “Quick Wins” can satisfy impatient customers
Moses climbs up Mount Sinaï and stays there for 40 days while his people anxiously wait for his return. The people are growing impatient and start wondering why they should continue following an amorphic concept when there are other peoples who worship Gods they can actually touch and see. Increasingly impatient, the people decide to act and gather all the gold and jewelry they can get their hands on and melt everything down to create a shiny and majestic golden calf. Excitement spreads throughout the camp… It’s the Wow effect, it’s even the Golden Wow effect!
Why did people feel the need to build a golden calf? The golden calf represents the admiration we have for shiny and tangible matter, over all that is conceptual. It means something: human beings prefer to see, touch and feel rather than rely on their imagination. A stone statue of a calf isn’t enough, they needed a shiny statue of a strong and powerful God : a more impressive symbol to trigger their emotions and devotion.
The same phenomenon has been repeated throughout history and is still ongoing today. Massive buildings, splendid decorations, costumes, advertising, military parades, etc. are all impressive means designed to provide that “Wow” feeling that generates brand awareness and drives customer loyalty.
When you define an Experience approach, that “blow me away” feeling can be triggered on one condition only: and that is the perception of real value that meets customers’ expectations.
The Roman Empire, or how a virtual community can unite different people
At its peak, the Roman Empire ruled over about 20% of the world’s population. This domination included several provinces, hundreds of indigenous peoples, all governed by a central administration. The Romans built roads, established order, managed trade between regions and, above all, spread their culture – culture that became universal. All these elements were used as a common base and could be perceived as the Wow effect of this period.
How could Rome control so many populations for so many centuries? One of the keys behind that impressive stability was the extension of some form of citizenship to all the people it conquered. This citizenship, and the tangible benefits associated with it, helped to expand the Empire by building a sense of shared identity and common values that reinforced their loyalty to Rome.
Today, virtual communities on social networks bring people together from all over the world around a same experience. This fulfills the “sense of belonging” need, being part of a trend or culture. When consumers enjoy the same things, they feel confident and inclined to spread the word. The personal customer experience, that “Wow” effect is influenced by the community one belongs to. This sense of belonging has an impact on the perception of this community member whether for a product or service. It’s like an echo-chamber that influences the community.
The Industrial Revolution, or how mass consumption has shaped customer experience
The Industrial Revolution was the shift from manual to large-scale mechanized manufacturing processes. Since the 1700s, all industrial revolutions have led to deep social and economic changes. These changes have brought about better living standards, more urbanization, a growing population with a higher literacy rate. Large-scale production has generated mass consumption and the development of more competitive buyer and seller markets. The greater the offer and the volume of consumption, the more the Wow effect is required to attract the right targets.
How does a tendency to consume more lead to the need for commoditization?
The different industrial revolutions have greatly increased the production of goods, distribution networks and trade. Usually, the more goods available the more consumers tend to buy. Being on the lookout for a “good bargain” and wanting to own more than the guy next door are behaviors that fuel the development of more offers on the market.
This large-scale consumption has given rise to highly competitive markets. Globalization and technology have greatly facilitated the way we do business and the way we serve customers. Offer and Demand are booming. To meet these growing needs, companies have always focused on mass production, hence commoditizing offerings. But brands are having a hard time keeping up and remaining competitive. In this standardized business landscape they need to rely on the “Wow” effect to stay ahead of the competition.
The era of the customer or how freedom of choice sets expectations for a “Wow” effect
Finally we get to today! Is today less exciting? History gets written at the speed of light. Events that used to play out for decades now happen in a matter of months. Competition pushes market players to be even more agile. Agility has become the new “normal” for all – brands and companies need to constantly adapt to change.
Customers in most industries are no longer captive. They first check out the offers, compare prices and are always looking for the best buy and rely heavily on the feedback from within their virtual community. Again, social networks play a decisive role in influencing potential consumers providing them with all the information before they decide to purchase a product or service.
The traditional business world was kind of « flat » and now « branded » offers are disrupting the market, opening up a whole array of opportunities. Now, everybody is hell-bent on providing that “Wow” effect, a must-have for all brands. But a “Wow” effect that needs to be different every time.
The days when companies dominated the business landscape and controlled what was communicated to the market are now over. Power has shifted to the consumers. Doing business now depends more than ever on exceeding expectations, transforming customers into real brand advocates.
To conclude…
Basically, human nature has not really changed over time. This need to be amazed and impressed now comes in different shapes and sizes but it’s always the same narrative. It is about experiencing unique moments both at work and at home. Customer Experience is awesome as it caters to our most fundamental and unwavering desire.