In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, we delve into the transformative “Strategies to Improve Customer Experience” with Rich Rose, the head of client and people experience at LegalVision. With over 20 years of expertise in HR, customer service, and human-centered design, Rich brings a wealth of knowledge on how businesses can radically enhance customer service to drive growth.
From journey mapping and empathy development tools to leveraging Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and focusing on employee engagement, this episode is packed with actionable insights that can help any business stand out in a crowded market. Join host Vinay Koshy as he explores these strategies in detail, uncovering practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you elevate your organization’s customer experience to new heights.
About Rich Rose
Rich is a human-centered designer who passionately believes that great customer experiences are predicated on great people experiences. He has over 20 years of experience in HR, customer service, and human-centered design in the banking and telco industries. Rich currently heads client and people experiences at LegalVision, Australia’s fastest-growing law firm.
Strategies to Improve Customer Experience
Strategies to improve customer experience have become critical for businesses looking to drive sustainable growth in today’s competitive landscape. Companies increasingly recognize the direct link between customer satisfaction and business success, so implementing effective customer experience (CX) initiatives has become a top priority across industries.
The Business Case for Customer Experience
Before diving into specific strategies, it’s important to understand why customer experience matters so much for growth:
- According to PwC, 73% of consumers say customer experience is important in their purchasing decisions.
- Forrester Research found that companies with superior customer experience grow revenue 5.1 times faster than their competitors.
- A study by Bain & Company showed that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%.
- Temkin Group research revealed that companies earning $1 billion annually can expect to earn an additional $700 million within 3 years of investing in customer experience.
These statistics demonstrate that focusing on customer experience is not just about making customers happy – it directly impacts the bottom line and fuels business growth.
Key Strategies to Improve Customer Experience
1. Develop a Customer-Centric Culture
One of the most fundamental strategies to improve customer experience is cultivating a customer-centric culture throughout the organization. This means putting the customer at the center of every decision and process.
Rich Rose emphasizes the importance of mindset in developing a customer-centric culture:
“It’s all about mindsets. Being open to the possibility that what you believe happens is not necessarily the case.”
He stresses the need for a “customer experience mindset” where employees are willing to adapt and prioritize customer needs.
Key tactics:
- Make customer experience metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) the top priority in meetings and reports
- Provide customer experience training for all employees, not just frontline staff
- Recognize and reward customer-centric behaviors and initiatives
- Encourage cross-functional collaboration to break down silos
Example: At LegalVision, NPS is discussed in team meetings and updates. Rich explains,
“The very first thing that comes up is our current NPS score. So it becomes part of the DNA of the organisation. Anybody should be able to tell you what the NPS score is right now.”
2. Map and Optimize the Customer Journey
Journey mapping is a powerful tool for understanding and improving the end-to-end customer experience. It allows companies to visualize every touchpoint and interaction from the customer’s perspective.
Rich Rose describes LegalVision’s journey mapping process:
“We ran 10 different journey mapping sessions, identified a couple of 100 pain points, over 300 opportunities that we then grouped, themed, prioritized, and then broke them down.”
Steps for effective journey mapping:
- Identify key customer personas and scenarios
- Map out every step and touchpoint in the journey
- Gather data on customer emotions and pain points at each stage
- Identify opportunities for improvement
- Prioritize and implement changes
- Continuously iterate and optimize
Example: LegalVision mapped the client journey from the initial website visit to project completion, identifying pain points such as the quote and payment process. This led to the development of an online quote and payment system, significantly reducing client barriers.
3. Leverage Technology and Data Analytics
Modern technology and data analytics tools provide unprecedented capabilities for understanding and enhancing the customer experience. Some key applications include:
- Customer data platforms to create unified customer profiles
- AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants for 24/7 support
- Predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs and personalize experiences
- Voice of Customer (VoC) tools to gather and analyze feedback
- Customer experience management platforms to track metrics and orchestrate initiatives
According to Gartner, by 2025, 60% of organizations will use AI for digital customer experience. Businesses that fail to leverage these technologies risk falling behind.
4. Personalize Interactions and Offerings
Customers increasingly expect personalized experiences tailored to their individual preferences and needs. 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase when brands offer personalized experiences.
Strategies for effective personalization:
- Use data to create detailed customer segments and personas
- Implement dynamic content on websites and in marketing communications
- Offer product recommendations based on purchase history and browsing behavior
- Provide personalized customer service by giving agents access to customer data and interaction history
- Use location-based services to deliver relevant offers and information
Example: LegalVision tailors its communication style to different client personas, from those with high legal acumen to those without a legal background. Rich Rose explains,
“Being able to mirror that conversation, I think is super important.”
5. Empower and Engage Employees
Happy, engaged employees are crucial for delivering great customer experiences. As Rich Rose emphasizes,
“Great client experiences are predicated on great people experiences.”
Key tactics for empowering employees:
- Provide comprehensive training on products, services, and customer service skills
- Give employees the autonomy to make decisions and resolve issues
- Implement employee feedback and suggestion programs
- Recognize and reward exceptional customer service
- Foster a positive work environment and prioritize employee well-being
LegalVision’s approach includes regular coaching sessions, role-playing exercises, and encouraging employees to listen to their customer interactions to identify areas for improvement. Rich explains,
“We’ll talk about calls that we’ve listened to with those guys and they actually have the ability to listen to it themselves as well, and we’ll talk about the good, the not so good, and then we quickly get into role play.”
6. Implement a Robust Voice of Customer (VoC) Program
Systematically gathering and acting on customer feedback is essential for continuously improving the customer experience. A well-designed VoC program helps companies identify pain points, uncover opportunities, and track the impact of CX initiatives.
Key components of an effective VoC program:
- Multiple feedback channels (surveys, social media monitoring, reviews, etc.)
- Real-time feedback collection at key touchpoints
- Text analytics to derive insights from unstructured feedback
- Closed-loop processes to follow up on feedback and resolve issues
- Regular reporting and action planning based on insights
Rich Rose describes LegalVision’s approach:
“Every time a project finishes, a survey goes out… If it’s anything below [a promoter score], we immediately call them… to understand exactly what’s gone wrong and how we can fix it.”
7. Focus on Omnichannel Consistency
In today’s multi-channel world, customers expect seamless experiences across all touchpoints – online, in-store, or mobile apps. According to Aberdeen Group, companies with strong omnichannel customer engagement retain an average of 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for companies with weak omnichannel engagement.
Strategies for omnichannel excellence:
- Implement a unified customer data platform to ensure consistent information across channels
- Design mobile-first experiences for digital touchpoints
- Enable cross-channel capabilities like buy online, pick up in-store
- Train employees to provide consistent service across all channels
- Use journey orchestration tools to create cohesive, personalized experiences
8. Prioritize Speed and Convenience
In our fast-paced world, customers value quick, frictionless experiences. According to PwC, 52% of consumers would pay more for greater speed and convenience.
Ways to enhance speed and convenience:
- Optimize website and app performance for fast load times
- Implement self-service options like knowledge bases and chatbots
- Offer multiple convenient payment options
- Streamline processes to reduce wait times and unnecessary steps
- Provide proactive notifications and updates to keep customers informed
Example: LegalVision implemented an online quote and payment system to make it easier for clients to engage their services, removing a significant barrier in the customer journey. Rich Rose explains,
“We now have that capability online, which means that the barrier for clients to go in and make payment and to get that legal matter moving forward is significantly removed from where it was historically.”
9. Build Emotional Connections
While functional aspects like speed and convenience are important, emotional connections often have an even greater impact on customer loyalty. Research by Motista found that emotionally connected customers have a 306% higher lifetime value.
Strategies for building emotional connections:
- Train employees in emotional intelligence and empathy
- Use storytelling in marketing and communications
- Personalize interactions to show you understand and value each customer
- Surprise and delight customers with unexpected perks or gestures
- Address customer pain points and frustrations proactively
Rich Rose emphasizes the importance of empathy:
“For me, yes, I need somebody that is technically very strong, but I also want somebody that, frankly, cares about other human beings and show some empathy because, that’s what I’m looking for.”
10. Measure and Optimize Continuously
Finally, it’s crucial to continuously measure, analyze, and optimize customer experience initiatives. This involves:
- Tracking key CX metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES)
- Conducting regular journey mapping exercises to identify new pain points and opportunities
- A/B testing different approaches and experiences
- Benchmarking against competitors and industry standards
- Regularly reviewing and updating CX strategies based on data and insights
As Rich Rose notes,
“We iterate all the time on our products and on our processes to make sure that we believe we’re doing the best that we possibly can with the tools that are available to us right now.”
Conclusion
Implementing these strategies to improve customer experience requires commitment, resources, and often a significant cultural shift within organizations. However, the potential rewards for customer loyalty, revenue growth, and competitive advantage make it worthwhile.
As businesses navigate an increasingly customer-centric landscape, those who prioritize and excel at delivering exceptional customer experiences will be best positioned for long-term success and growth. By focusing on understanding customer needs, leveraging technology, empowering employees, and continuously optimizing based on feedback and data, companies can create differentiated experiences that drive customer satisfaction, loyalty, and business growth.
Some areas we explore in this episode include:
Listen to the episode.
Related links and resources
- Check out LegalVision
- Check out Culture Amp
- Learn from Matt Swalley – How to Use AI In B2B Sales For Ad Campaigns That Drive Revenue Growth
- Learn more from Frederick Vallaeys – How to Balance AI Optimization For PPC With Customer Insights to Drive Growth
- Learn from Vin Turk – How to Tackle Lead Nurturing Campaign Challenges Backed by Data to Drive Growth
- Learn from John Horn – Advertising Challenges: How to Overcome Them And Drive Growth Fast
- Learn from Farzad Rashidi – How to Create a Bootstrap B2B SEO Strategy to Gain Over 4 Million Users
- Check out the article – 8 Ways to Gain Customer Loyalty and Trust Through Design
Connect with Rich Rose
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