It’s a question that has perplexed humankind for centuries: If a tree falls in the woods and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound? Now Marketing may not be known for its penchant for solving existential conundrums, but the same line of reasoning can be applied to the customer experience. If you identify a set of benefits but the organization fails to demonstrate them, do they really exist?
We’re a biased group, so while differentiation may be the bread and butter of our world, the sad truth is that that simply isn’t the case within many B2B organizations. Marketing can (and should) take the lead to identify the core set of unique benefits that set the company apart from competitors. But when it comes to embedding these throughout the customer experience—that requires coordination of many moving pieces across the enterprise.
So where does this leave our benefits-driven customer experience? You’re not going to affect every touchpoint 100% of the time (and given that most of us have dozens—even hundreds—of touchpoints, that should elicit an audible sigh of relief). But there are a few basics tenets we can follow to ensure that our benefits actually reach our target audience:
- Hit ‘em where it counts. If you have a good understanding of customers and their workflow, you can isolate the touchpoints they use at key decision points. If these touchpoints are under Marketing’s control: WIN! Double down investments here. If the touchpoint is owned by someone else: do everything humanly possible to ensure this touchpoint reflects your unique benefit.
- Do no harm. Make sure none of your touchpoints actively contradict the benefit you’re trying to get across. If you’re claiming to help customers minimize the time they spend setting up your equipment and maximize the time they spend working, then your Gizmo3000 better not be wrapped within an inch of its life with packaging that requires a machete to cut through.
- Use customer outcomes as a common thread. Looking at the outcomes that customers are trying to achieve provides a common aligning principle for all touchpoints, no matter where ownership resides within the organization. All touchpoints, even those commonly ignored like invoices or product spec sheets, can be tweaked to constantly remind customers how the company helps customers get to the outcome desired. MLC members can check out how Philips did this.
This simplicity gives others across the organization a clear set of marching orders as to how they can impact the customer experience. It may seem pretty basic, but you’ll be surprised by how much low-hanging fruit you’ll uncover. This is especially critical for companies where purchase decisions are made infrequently or over long periods of time. If customers buy from you every two or three years, what are the chances they’ll remember your unique benefits several months down the line? Don’t squander any opportunity to remind customers of the benefits you provide. Use every tool—even the mundane—and you’ll avoid the fate of the lone tree in the forest.
