Desigining the customer experience around brand segmentation can pay real dividends and help firms deal effectively with customers

Much of the tech debate about CRM is concerned with the software that you need to manage interactions with customers -- but what should the content of communications and interactions with customers be like? Designing the customer service experience can be seen as the content of CRM. Gartner invited the brand expert Christine Connor from OgilvyOne to discuss the content and design of customer experiences.

In introducing Christine Connor, Gartner analyst Mark Raskino, described customer experience design as "where the process hits the fluffy stuff." Fluffy or not, Connor outlined some key business benefits in getting the customer experience right, citing examples of drinks companies who had significantly boosted market share by using a segmented approach to the customer base and building positive user experiences.

Firms should pay careful attention to how they speak to customers and all interactions with them should be planned and based on a segmented approach to the customer base -- taking into account the value to the business of each segment, and taking particular care over 'moments of truth', where there is direct interaction with the customer.

'When we are talking about customer experience we are actually talking about perceptions and emotion. But really where it is important is how that drives towards loyalty and ultimately customer value' said Connor. Understanding these emotional drivers is important in identifying the most important, and most loyal customers, the customers who hold the key to growth.

Connor stressed the importance of 'moments of truth' when dealing with customers. These direct interactions with customers often take place when there is a problem with a brand or service. These can be key defining moments in a brands' relationship with its custmers, she said. "Experiences are the ultimate conveyors of value. Experiences are more important than individual products and service attributes. It's the totality of the experience that is really important."

Because of the importance of 'moments of truth' in Connor's vision, internal communications and 'brand champions' amongst the staff take on an equal importance to external communications about the brand. 'If the staff doesn't understand the vision and the values, when the customer hits front counter staff the check in at an airline they are not going to get a consistent experience and that is where a gap can arise. If, however, you have a standard platform in terms of how you talk asbout branding that works for both customers and staff then that leads to consistency' she said.

A firms that has got it right, according to Connor, is Disney, where staff in the parks live up to the promise of the external communication. BT's "It's good to talk" campaign was quoted as a good example of segmentation and tailoring the communications carefully to each of the 37 different market segments, and customer types, identified by BT.

Eugene Lacey reported from the CRM Summit 2002 in Paris.

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