It’s sad to admit it, but good customer experience is rare.  So rare that when we get one we feel all warm, fuzzy and surprised and run to tell everyone about it.   So rare (unfortunately) that even working this field, I don’t see good examples of CX quite often enough.

This weekend, I had some exceptional customer experiences.   There must have been some sort of CX event happening around town at the time, a kind of “Treat Your Customers Well Week,” or something.  If there was one, I have to say:  it worked! 

Exceptional Experience #1: GEICO Auto Repair Xpress® Shop

A few weeks ago, I hit a tall curb and broke my wife’s Civic’s bumper.  Nothing big, but enough to need the whole bumper replaced and to have that dawning sensation of insurance-time stress rushing at you at full speed.  I was able to find a Geico Auto Repair Xpress® Shop close to me and schedule the work for last week.  Long story short: 

• The adjuster noticed that we arrived early and immediately came to talk to us.  She saw we were in a hurry and started the process right away.  We were out of the body shop even before the time we were officially scheduled to start.
• Nice welcoming and explanations.  She seemed honestly concerned if anything serious happened and if everyone was okay.
• She was good at understanding our needs and then setting the right expectations.
• The work was done before I expected (again, the right expectations were set in the first place), and I found myself in an odd situation:  I was alone when I received the call that the car was ready.  I couldn’t just drive there to get the car since then I wouldn’t have anyone to drive MY car back home.  From my perspective, my only options were to walk there, call a cab or leave the car there another week until my wife was back in town.  The adjuster again promptly asked me, “Do you have a spare key for this car?” I said yes, and then she suggested that they drive my car to my home and leave it locked in my driveway with the keys inside.
• When I got home, later that day, the car was safely locked in my driveway.  Inside it was the car key, a complete list of the services, my receipt, a Thank You note and a box of cookies…

 My rational side quickly considered the whole situation and I realized 3 things:

• In each circumstance, it was already in their best interests to get me in and out as quickly as possible.
• Nothing they did incurred an extra cost or service they didn’t already provide (well, maybe the cookies, but that’s negligible).
• These were all simple actions that, when combined, minimized the stress factor of the experience and eliminated possible conflicts or attrition points.

The key point here is that I don’t believe they were thinking in those terms.  They achieved all these points by being authentically concerned with how they could provide me with a better experience.  A REAL focus on the customer provided them with a more efficient process and, I would dare say, more profitable results.  

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you another exceptional experience and let you know what happened at the Apple Store.

See original post at Vox Inc - Customerspective Blog
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I am proud to announce that Vox’s 2007 Automobile Insurance Mind Model Study is now available (this represents a considerable part of my work, so I better be proud :) ). 

Anyway, the study examines the online channel to determine industry-wide norms and discover why companies succeed or fail in attracting and retaining customers.

If you want to know more, take a look on Bill Cusick’s post on Vox Customer Experience Blog.

Every now and then, our worlds change to the point that nothing is ever the same again. It may be for the better. It may not be. But one thing is for sure, we all have to be prepared to adapt.
It seems the insurance market is witnessing one of these moments in the wake of California’s new auto rate rules that became effective last August.
 
As a Customer Experience professional, I watched the events unfold and observed curiously as insurance companies reacted. Of course, everyone’s first step was to fight the change, but after this mandatory – and let’s say inefficient – move, things started to get really interesting.
 
It was akin to a remake of an old Rocky movie. Most companies kept fighting only to be knocked to the ground again and again. What’s unfortunate is that nobody in the crowd was cheering for them, and every punch left a new scar on each company’s image.
 
Maybe the companies that continue this fight think they are going up against the government or the status quo. They don’t get it. In reality, they are exchanging punches with their own customers. Customers may know that every company protects its own interests, but that doesn’t mean they accept it, or that they won’t hold a grudge.
 
The right analogy for what’s happening is a road not a boxing match. Insurance companies should ride the changes out, not fight them. So far, only 8 have decided to ride the first wave: State Farm, Auto Club of Southern California, AAA of Northern California, Infinity Insurance, Wawanesa, Progressive, GEICO, and USAA. Together they are already providing $20 Million in auto rate reductions.
 
They are the first ones, but surely not the last. It is still early in the game. There is opportunity to turn what may seem like surrender into a competitive advantage. My advice is embrace the change. Take pride in it. Show your customers that you will jump at the chance to make their lives easier. Give them a reason to stay with you.
 
Great rewards come when change is viewed as an opportunity.
To the companies who aren’t on the bandwagon, I must say that the moment of truth has come and gone.

What will you do now?

**See original article at Vox website or download the PDF Version.