Pod review: Experience design is product management

📝 Podcast Review: Secrets to Improving Customer and Employee Experiences from This is Product Management #316

Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

In this episode of "This is Product Management," host Rodney Knowles interviews Tricia Houston, founder and COO of the Experience Build Group. Tricia shares her insights and secrets on how to improve customer and employee experiences. The conversation covers various topics, including the importance of a customer-centric mindset, bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences, and the connection between customer and employee experiences.

🌟 Theme 1: Customer-Centric Mindset

Tricia emphasizes that creating a great customer experience is everyone's job and should be approached as a mindset rather than a department. Companies that have a customer success or customer experience department alone will not be able to fully deliver on customer expectations. Tricia suggests starting small and building from there. By focusing on specific touchpoints or areas of improvement, companies can make a big impact. For example, improving signage or adding a new feature to an app can have a domino effect on the overall customer experience. Tricia also highlights the importance of listening to customer feedback, both quantitative and qualitative, to identify areas for improvement. By starting with small changes and continuously iterating, companies can create a customer-centric culture.

🔍 Practical Tip: Tricia recommends analyzing open-ended responses from VOC surveys to uncover potential gaps and areas of improvement. This qualitative feedback can provide valuable insights into customer pain points and help prioritize areas for further investigation.

Example: Tricia shares a personal example of a disconnect between the digital and physical experience. She ordered through an app but couldn't communicate an issue through the same app. Instead, she had to call the store, which created a frustrating experience. This highlights the importance of seamless integration between digital and physical touchpoints.

🌟 Theme 2: Bridging the Gap between Digital and Physical Experiences

Tricia discusses the challenges companies face when bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences. She mentions two types of experience gaps: unintentional and intentional. Unintentional gaps, such as a lack of communication between digital and physical touchpoints, need to be addressed and closed. On the other hand, intentional gaps, like those created by companies like Aldi to save costs, can be acceptable if clearly communicated to customers. Tricia advises companies to map out the customer journey and identify areas where digital and physical experiences intersect. By understanding these touchpoints, companies can ensure a seamless and cohesive experience for customers.

🔍 Practical Tip: Tricia suggests asking customers if doing business with the company feels like a chore or something they look forward to. This feedback can help identify areas where the experience falls short and needs improvement.

Example: Tricia shares an example of how she discovered a gap in her own experience as a customer. When shopping online for groceries during the pandemic, she found products she liked but couldn't find them in-store. It took her a while to realize that the app had a feature that showed the exact location of the products in the store. This example highlights the importance of bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences to provide a seamless customer journey.

🌟 Theme 3: Employee Experience and its Impact on Customer Experience

Tricia emphasizes that the employee experience is the foundation of the customer experience. She believes that the customer experience is a byproduct of the employee experience. To ensure a positive customer experience, companies need to focus on preparing their employees and aligning them with the company's vision and values. Tricia suggests thinking about the "other business" a company is in, beyond its core product or service. For example, Chick-fil-A is in the leadership business, not just selling chicken. By aligning employee activities with this broader business perspective, companies can create a cohesive and customer-centric culture.

🔍 Practical Tip: Tricia recommends creating scripts and setting the stage for employee interactions with customers. This helps ensure consistency and reinforces the desired customer experience.

Example: Tricia mentions Southwest Airlines as an example of a company that aligns its activities with its positioning as the "love airline." All their employee actions and interactions are mapped to reinforce this positioning, creating a consistent and memorable customer experience.

🌟 Theme 4: Customer Research and Understanding

Tricia provides guidance on conducting customer research. She advises starting with a clear understanding of the research objective, whether it is to gain a broad understanding or to predict behaviour and opinions at scale. Tricia suggests starting small and not overcomplicating the research process. Understanding the customer is a continuous journey, and companies can start by identifying gaps and learning from even a single customer's feedback. Tricia also highlights the importance of using customer feedback to drive decision-making and action.

🔍 Practical Tip: Tricia recommends using the Libby app, which allows users to access e-books from their local library for free on their Kindle devices. This tool can be a valuable resource for personal development and learning.

Example: Tricia shares her personal recommendation for the book "4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals" by Oliver Berkman. The book challenges the notion of productivity and encourages readers to make choices based on the finite nature of time. This example demonstrates the importance of continuous learning and personal growth.

📖 Summary

Overall, Tricia Houston provides valuable insights into improving customer and employee experiences. By adopting a customer-centric mindset, bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences, and prioritizing employee experience, companies can create a culture that delivers exceptional customer experiences.

Timestamps:

• - 00:00:05 Introduction to Tricia Houston and the Experience Build Group

• - 00:03:35 Providing a starting place for understanding customers

• - 00:07:50 Bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences

• - 00:10:04 Importance of customer research and identifying gaps

• - 00:13:30 Being your own customer and thinking through that lens

• - 00:16:31 Connection between customer and employee experiences

• - 00:17:43 Getting everyone to row in the same direction

• - 00:19:32 Employee training and the role of customer understanding

• - 00:21:22 Personal recommendation: Libby app and "4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals" by Oliver Berkman

Full Audio: Link to the full audio of the podcast episode

Transcript Source: Link to the transcript on Swell AI