Sourcing the ingredients of a great customer experience

Anyone who knows me knows I’m not a chef. Not even close. I have absolutely no instincts when it comes to cooking. Hard boiled eggs are difficult for me, let alone a full meal. I’m grateful for my husband who manages the kitchen and cooks wonderful meals for the family.
 
Whenever he tries to show me how to make something, I usually tune out. I often say, “I don’t know how it’s made, I don’t understand what you’re doing, but I know it tastes delicious.”
 
Customers often feel similar about their experiences with a brand. They don’t need to know all the inner workings of the marketing, sales, CX, customer service, product, or other teams. They don’t see the sprawling server farms filled with terabytes of data or access the robust omnichannel tech stacks that synthesize critical information for employees and customers. They don’t examine the associate training curriculum or sit in on customer journey mapping exercises. And they certainly don’t want to hear about why you can’t do something they expect.  They just want their questions answered and expectations met.
 
What goes on behind the curtain to deliver amazing customer experiences isn’t important to customers, but it’s serious business for a brand. Information is often closely held and considered critical proprietary information that should be kept secret. Businesses compete on customer experiences over products and services now more than ever, making how they do it an extremely valuable competitive advantage.
 
We dedicate this issue to revealing some of the secrets that make a great experience – from CX design and voice of the customer to operational best practices, employee engagement, and data analysis to create a Total Experience. The articles in this issue provide some “secret sauce” ingredients that combine for a superior experience for both businesses and customers alike.
 
Just like a great recipe, the ingredients by themselves may not be much. But when they are put together in the right way with care, professional tools, and expert chefs, the outcome is a delicious experience. Yum.