What CX lessons can we learn from Harry Houdini, the man who could escape from almost everything but obscurity?

Winning customers for life isn’t about one great interaction, a loyalty program, or a clever marketing campaign.

I recently interviewed Ed Howie, founder and CEO of Lifelong Customers, for an episode of Amazing Business Radio. He shared what he refers to as “six essential realities for winning lifelong customers.” Here is his list along with my commentary and interpretation of each strategy:  

Explore innovative customer experience lessons in this article about Who Gives a Crap. Convenience and responsibility matter.

Sometimes the most valuable technology strategy may be knowing when to get technology out of the way and let a human take over.

Customers want information. But that doesn’t mean they want every detail. There’s a difference. If they want more, they’ll ask.

Customers don’t decide what they think about your company based on ads or slogans. They decide based on every interaction they have with you.

Every interaction that follows reinforces that the customer made the right decision to do business with you and not your competition.

The Shepard Letter: Every Company Needs a ‘Reasonable Department’

It’s time to talk about negative reviews again. It’s been a while since I last approached this topic, and while my thoughts on how to handle negative reviews haven’t changed, they have expanded.

Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. 
Maybe this has happened to you. You walk into a fast-food/quick-serve restaurant. You’re in line to order your meal. It’s now your turn. As you are looking at the list of menu items, you freeze. Maybe you are overwhelmed by the choices, or maybe you can’t decide between two items. You realize there are people in line behind you, and they are thinking, “What’s going on up there? Can’t they decide what they want?” This adds to the pressure and creates anxiety. What a terrible feeling to experience, and that obviously impacts your overall customer experience. 

According to Global Payments’ new research report, “order anxiety” is a real thing. The anxiety comes from confusion. The result is potential lost revenue.

Customers want simple, consistent customer service experiences. When done right, they drive repeat business and customer loyalty.

AI can make things faster, easier and more convenient. Use it where it makes sense, but don’t let efficiency get in the way of connection.

The Shepard Letter: AI Gives Customers Information, Great CX Gives Them Confidence

The Shepard Letter: The Customer Is Always Right...and Five Other Lies

Word set gives employees the words to let their positive attitude and willingness to help come through in conversations with customers.

The Shepard Letter: Five Ways to Eliminate Customer Churn

In customer experience, details make the difference. Every detail either adds confidence or creates friction.

The Shepard Letter: The One Thing Most Companies Fail To Do After Receiving Customer Feedback

The best companies turn first-time customers into loyal fans who come back, spend more, and tell others about you.

When employees spend their time fixing problems that AI can’t solve, customer service ends up enhancing AI.

Customers notice when their feedback leads to improvements. Employees notice when leadership listens to them.

My three suggestions for becoming a customer-focused organization that gives customers the best experience possible.