The 3 E's of Customer Experience with Michelle Pascoe

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This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   

1. What does “Hospitality Mentality” mean? 
2. What is the difference between customer service and customer experience? 
3. How can businesses create a memorable last impression for customers? 
4. Why is a values-based education important in shaping employees’ customer behaviors and interactions? 
5. How do you equip frontline team members to deliver an exceptional customer experience?

Top Takeaways

• Customer experience is about creating lasting impressions. Just as the first impression sets the tone, the last impression leaves an impact. Every step in the customer’s journey, from the moment they walk in to the moment they leave, is an opportunity to amaze. 

• Embracing a hospitality mentality is about delivering exceptional customer experiences. It means going beyond merely meeting expectations and striving to make customers feel truly valued. This creates a positive and memorable interaction that can turn ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences that keep customers coming back. 

• Michelle shares the 3 E’s of Customer Experience: 
  • Expectation: What does your marketing say about you? What are you creating in your customers’ minds? 
  • Experience: What do your customers get when they walk through your doors? Do you at least meet their expectations? How do you exceed their expectations?  
  • Evaluation: What are your customers thinking about your business as they walk out the door? 

• When we live out our company’s values, it sets the tone for our team. When we connect these values with our business operations, we give our employees a chance to shine and do a great job based on those values. And if something doesn’t align with our values, we can call it out with clarity and proper discipline. 

• Training is not just about onboarding, it is an ongoing process. It is necessary to equip team members with the skills to uphold service values and exceed customer expectations. The training process should be multifaceted, cater to different learning styles, and be constantly reinforced. 

• Nurturing connections is essential, not just with customers but also between leadership and employees. When leaders take the time to understand and connect with their team members, it creates a positive and supportive work environment, leading to a more aligned workforce. 

• Plus, Shep and Michelle share their own experiences as customers that left a lasting impression. Tune in! 

Quotes:

“Customer loyalty and creating a memorable experience starts with meeting the expectations. If we don’t even meet the expectation, they will certainly not come back.” 

“Customer service is delivering what you said you were going to deliver. Customer experience is how you make them feel.” 

“People learn in different ways. As business owners and managers, we want our employees to do as they are told. Training is the opportunity for our employees to understand the “why” behind every single step, procedure, and system we’re putting in place.” 

“The people who will stay with your business are people who have been seen and heard and feel that you care for them.” 

“We all focus on that first impression, but let’s look at that last impression. It’s all about creating that amazing experience journey from the moment they walk in to the moment they leave.” 

“When it comes to service recovery, remember that you’re dealing with a person with feelings and a heart.” 

About:

Michelle Pascoe is the CEO of Optimum Operating Procedures and Services (OOPS). She is a keynote speaker, the host of The Michelle Pascoe Hospitality Podcast, and the author of The VIP Principle: Discover How Guest Experiences Drive Long Term Growth. 

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.