We are always looking for ways to make our customers happy. But research by Forrester shows that the relationship to the brand is lost from sight. Recently, I spoke with customers about this subject and it is striking that people do start from the brand when they start drawing journeys and filling in experiences. But in practice, the connection disappears. As soon as the customer does not like something, the holy goal is to satisfy the customer. But what is left of the role of the brand?

If your competitors serve the same customer, aren't you all improving in the same way? Suppose the customer is dissatisfied because you have not met his expectations. Those expectations are fed by other experiences, including those of competitors. If we continue in this way, we will soon be offering the same seamless experience, with the great risk that there will no longer be any distinctive brand propositions in service industries. The result: a reduction in rates.

Change of mind

Price erosion is seen in many markets where the value of the brand is devalued. So it's time for some rethinking. Bring brand and CX back together and start from your brand promise and translate that promise into the experience. If the customer is dissatisfied, start again from your brand. A well-known example is Coolblue. They have implemented the brand promise 'anything for a smile' in their service, even if something goes wrong. They very consciously refer to their promise.

The customer experience is about the reaction of the customer to what you do on a cognitive, emotional, behavioural, sensory and social level. At Haystack Consulting, we incorporate all of those dimensions. We build moments that are so powerful that they linger with an intuitive, strong connection to the brand. In doing so, we use the Power of Moments theory. The starting point is that the peaks in a journey are moments that you remember, because at that moment you were surprised or felt proud, you got an insight, or you felt a connection.

Sliding

An experience is more lasting if your senses are strongly affected. When delivering products, for example, this is done by the messages on the box, even before you open it. Unboxing experiences have become a hygiene factor. There, too, the relationship to the brand is established. Another example of how to create a sensory memorable moment is the way Nike zooms in on the football boots in their webstore. You feel the studs and you see yourself sliding. Adidas could have done the same, but the typical Nike stories about perseverance and inclusiveness that you are confronted with 'in passing' make it ownable Nike. Translating your brand promise into memorable moments and improving from your brand promise, makes you create and keep a distinctive position in the market.