How to Operationalize Customer Centricity with Dr. Jeff Dahms

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

1. How does data-driven decision-making improve customer service? 
2. Why is it important to understand the reasons behind customer decisions and behavior? 
3. How can organizations effectively gather and utilize customer feedback to improve service? 
4. How can businesses identify gaps in the customer journey using research and analytics? 
5. What is the “cycle of success” framework in customer experience management? 

Top Takeaways

• When making decisions for your business, relying on gut feeling may not be reliable. Having data about your customers’ behavior and collecting their feedback gives you better odds of providing the best experience for them.  

• Improving customer experience is a continuous cycle. You start by collecting feedback from customers, then turn it into helpful data for your business. After that, share the information with your employees so they can better serve customers, and then look for new feedback from your customers about their experience to continue improving.  

• Smart leaders and managers know how to choose quality over quantity when it comes to data. When you are collecting huge amounts of information, use the pieces that help you make better decisions or solve a particular problem. 

• Traditional surveys can give you some feedback, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Not everyone will respond, and sometimes you only hear from people who either really love or really dislike your service. To gain more accurate insights, consider combining surveys with other methods, such as interviews or external research.  

• Collecting feedback is great, but it’s only helpful when the employees who work directly with your customers understand and know how to use it. Break down complex data into simple, actionable ideas. This could mean additional training, clearer instructions, or helpful tips to manage challenging situations.  

• Good research starts with good questions. Before collecting feedback, it’s better to understand the specific problem or question you’re trying to solve. When you define exactly what you need to know and why, it helps you choose the best research methods that will give you the most useful results.  

• Great customer experiences start with a positive environment for your employees. Make sure your team has the tools, training, and support they need to do their jobs well. When employees feel valued and know how to help customers, service improves for everyone. 

• Plus, Shep and Jeff discuss why it is important to learn from customers, even the ones who have already left. Tune in! 

Quotes:

“Do you know why your customers are making the decisions that they make? Understanding the ‘why’ behind customer choices is important if you want to operationalize a customer-centric philosophy in your daily business.” 

“Collecting customer feedback is a never-ending cycle. Because as you make changes, customers are going to give you feedback again on how those changes impact them.” 

“Research is a support function. It exists to help businesses move forward and provide better experiences for their customers.” 

About:

Dr. Jeff Dahms is the data-driven Director of Customer Experience & Insights at Physicians Mutual, where he helps businesses leverage information to improve processes and customer outcomes.

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