Leadership guru Brian Tracy has been kind enough to endorse several of my books, and I have looked to him for wisdom throughout the years. One of my favorite quotes of Brian’s is, “Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.”
The older I get, the more I value “peace of mind” for myself and others. Consumer trend data and research on “emotional value” make a case for being in the “peace of mind business.”
The rise in consumer skepticism is a direct result of many companies selling a promise that they frequently fail to deliver. You know, the ads that make you think a product or service will make you smarter, taller, thinner, more attractive, and more prosperous – when, in truth, the only people getting rich are in the company that lured you in.
I have been asking my team:
- How can we ensure our customers “peace of mind?”
- How can we guarantee that customers will get what they ask for and not have to worry about or follow up to get their needs met?
- How will our customers know that we care about them at a level where they don’t need to monitor our deliverables constantly?
The world is complex, the demands are high, and extraordinary customer experience companies make life easier and more peaceful for those they serve.
It’s time to see “peace of mind” as a value-add that distinguishes ordinary from extraordinary customer experience businesses.
So, how would you rate on a 1-10 scale the peace of mind you provide to colleagues and customers?
To enhance your score, consider some of these tips.
- Deliver on Promises Consistently: Ensure that your company consistently does what it promises. Reliability builds trust because customers come to know that they CAN count on you.
- Communicate Transparently: Maintain open and honest communication with your team members and customers. Keep your customers informed about the status of their orders, any potential delays, and how you are addressing their concerns.
- Implement Robust Quality Control: Develop and maintain rigorous quality control processes to ensure your products and services meet or exceed customer expectations. This minimizes issues and reinforces your commitment to excellence.
- Provide Compassionate and Knowledgeable Customer Support: Offer responsive and empathetic customer support. Make it easy for customers to reach out with questions or concerns and ensure that their issues are resolved promptly and satisfactorily.
- Anticipate Customer Needs: Strive to understand and anticipate your customers’ needs. Proactively offer solutions and improvements that can enhance their experience and address potential concerns before they arise.
Okay, I’ll admit this isn’t easy, but meaningful things seldom are. In light of the challenge, look for part 2 on “owning your customers’ peace of mind” in next week’s installment.
Related: Southwest Airlines’ Transformative Customer Experience Differentiation