Do you ever stop to look at how customers and clients experience your business? They interact with your business through the website, social media or a phone call, but what is their actual experience? How do they feel when they interact through these various points of communication? All too often we get caught up in our daily activities and tasks, but as subject matter experts, we rarely take our business hats off and look at how people see us; how they experience us. It really is all part of the experience.
User experiences range from excellent to non-existent. The key is taking the time to check – are you completing a transaction or creating a memory? Too often the simple transaction of goods, services or information, can overshadow the experience. It’s vitally important to take the temperature of your user experience regularly. While transactions help pay the bills, a great experience will have engaged customers who come back again and again and bring their friends.
Think of a user experience at a resort; it could simply be booking a room, checking them in, then sending them on to their next destination. That’s a transaction. But, an experience looks closely at what your visitor sees when they arrive on property, where they walk, what they hear, smell and feel. Westin Hotels and Resorts captures your user experience from the moment you walk into the lobby with a signature scent. It’s a staple at every property. However, the user experience goes beyond scent to a signature bed, shower and an attentive level of service.
For a restaurant, sommelier or mixologist, the meal or beverage is an experience, a work of art and in some cases, a show. Does throwing a drink in the air mix it better than simply shaking or stirring? Possibly, but it ups the user experience and creates that all important memory that’s vital to engagement. It also allows you to charge more for the experience. A chef can put a steak or entrée on a plate, but with some style, presentation and excellent service, a meal turns into an experience worthy of a photo, online post and return reservation.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with lots of clubs to talk about what makes them unique and what kind of experience they provide. Golf courses all have tee boxes, flags and holes; tennis courts all have balls and nets; and gyms all have weights, classes and trainers. When you look at the unique aspects though, we ask different questions. What is it like to walk onto the court or up to the first tee? It’s not simply getting into a golf cart, it’s an experience. How does the dew feel on your spikes? Is there a chill in the morning air? Are there birds chirping? Can you smell hot dogs and burgers from the restaurant? Can you see the grass flying as the grounds crew cuts the greens? Your experience is creating a mental picture, a memory and it’s so important to success! It is important for you to see what your customers, clients and friends see, not simply the transaction of the green’s fees.
Our team takes the time to work with clubs, resorts, casinos and many other types of businesses and organizations from all across the country. We help assess their user experience from many different perspectives, including in-person, online, and through your customer service reps. An independent assessment can provide an incredibly useful perspective on things the in-house experts may not see. From lighting to layout, key messages and social media, we examine the experience to help take transactions and create those all-important memories. How can we help you with your experience? Give us a call, check us out online and we’ll help with that perspective and experience that will make your business better and even more engaging. www.lambert.com
By Andy Likes, Senior Vice President at Lambert – St. Louis (formerly The Vandiver Group)
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