example clearly shows how critical the Experience is even to those who are not current paying customers. The Experience that we are committed to and are designing for others must be genuine; it shouldn't be something we can turn on and off like a light switch. If it's real, and the “magic is magic,” it will not only help you build a more successful service deliverable; it just may save you millions.
The Staggering Results
In the following diagram, you will see the breakdown of our 500+ company study and the model of the five levels of the Experience. We took select service-oriented companies from the Fortune 500 along with the aforementioned Family 500 (closely held small businesses). Our findings are described in the box.
The Five Levels of the Experience
Level One (Toxic): 30 Percent
L 1 Defined: “Service that comes across as apathetic, indifferent, and disengaged while providing an Experience that is both impersonal and offensive.”
The definition we've developed for “Toxic” is that the service provided actually offends and frustrates the customers. In simplified terms, Toxic means negative employee attitudes. It includes reactions and interactions involving apathy, the brush-off, and plastic indifference. This is by far the lowest level of service Experience; it's clear that people do not care and leaders are unaware they are losing customers and risking going out of business.
Level Two (Average): 30 Percent
L 2 Defined: “An Experience where employees are content to go through the motions, are satisfied with the status quo, and deliver service that is mediocre, bland, and uninspiring.”
Although not as negative as “Toxic,” the level of “Average” is still unacceptable. These companies are out of touch with customers' needs. Average is neither good nor bad; it just is. Companies and individuals who provide average or mediocre service tend to be uninspiring and boring in their delivery. Would a caring parent tell a child, “I want you to strive to be a C student”? Average may be tolerable to some, but it is unacceptable if you desire excellence.
Level Three (Good): 25 Percent
L 3 Defined: “Service where employees are often engaged, friendly, and personable, where most customers or clients encounter a positive Experience and feel as though they are valued, welcome, and important.”
In our opinion, the level of “Good” is where every company, leader, and employee needs to begin, at a minimum. Levels One and Two make up roughly 60 percent of all service; but that 60 percent is not at all acceptable if you want to succeed. This third level of Good provides the foundation for building excellence in an organization. Everything about Good helps define where every company must start, realizing that anything below Good will not be tolerated.
Level Four (Great): 12 Percent
L 4 Definition: “Relational Service that is consistently strong, where employees go the extra mile to create personalized service and relational Experiences for every customer.”
“Great” is the fourth level of the Experience, reserved for companies and individuals who tend to go out of their way for their customers. They create a great atmosphere for employees and design a legacy of excellence in everything they do. They tend to have a completely different mindset, excellent attitudes, and a high level of engagement, and strive to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Level Five (Exceptional): 3 Percent
L5 Definition: Exceptional Service that is part of the show, where every employee is focused on creating a unique ‘Experience’ for each customer that is profoundly better than their competition.
This top level of the Experience is reserved for the truly “Exceptional” companies that tend to take service to a whole new level. They create a memorable and unique experience and, by doing so, develop Ambassadors who spread the word to the world every chance they have.
Why Are the Levels Important?
We are only as good as our reputation – and we are often only as profitable in our ventures as the level of new and repeat customers that we garner. To grow our organizations and from a cost efficiency perspective, we must focus on three things:
1. Keeping our current customers
2. Creating a wave of repeat business
3. Gaining new clients and customers via referral or word of mouth
The most effective way to do this is to create loyal customers, convert them into Ambassadors, and then empower these Ambassadors to share their Experience with others. Understanding the Five Levels of the Experience – and, more important, where you rank – is crucial to your organization. There are only certain levels of the Experience where Ambassador conversion takes place.
We found in the independent study we conducted that people who came into contact with Level Four (Great) and Level Five (Exceptional) organizations were the only ones who were willing to tell their spheres of influence about their positive Experience. Driving home the importance further, we found that Level Five Ambassadors were nearly twice as willing to share their stories as Level Four customers. The flip side of the coin was that more than 70 percent of the people who came into contact with Level One (Toxic) and Level Two (Average) organizations went out of their way to share their negative experiences with their spheres.
We found that Level Five Ambassadors were nearly twice as willing to share their stories as Level Four customers. The flip side of the coin was that more than 70 percent of the people who came into contact with Level One (Toxic) and Level Two (Average) organizations went out of their way to share their negative experiences with their spheres.
We know that the stakes are incredibly high given the intense competition in most industries multiplied by the ability for customers to affect a brand positively or negatively. This has rendered commitment to service excellence non-negotiable. You must provide a competitive level of the Experience focused toward the Exceptional; otherwise your organization will eventually be in jeopardy. You can move up only one level at a time – but the goal is ultimately to be at Level Four (Great) or Level Five (Exceptional) to convert clients into brand Ambassadors.
Now What?
Our desire and goal was to design an Experience model that would be congruent with that of the known business world's accepted service excellence standard of Disney. We then wanted to be able to test our model against any organization's current level of the Experience. However, it's not enough to be able to test. We wanted our readers to have a set of Principles to go by, to have Quotient Questions to challenge them, and to have Actionables to coach them. Finally, we wanted them to have a clear road map to follow that would allow them to move up the levels of the Experience.
Warning: Do not try to utilize all of the Actionables at once; that is not the way this book was set up or how this tool works. Take the Experience Quotient test at www.ExperienceQuotient.com and utilize the feedback and advice to work on your weaknesses and threats. You will soon find yourself and your organization on the path to the exceptional Experience and, as a result, converting your clients and customers to lifelong Ambassadors.
PART II
ONSTAGE (THE CUSTOMER INTERFACE)
