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Customers are more demanding today than ever before, and the power of the consumer has never been greater. Customers are testing and judging you every time they interact with your business, no matter how remote that contact might be. These interactions are your “moments of truth”. In this article, we will help you to identify the moments of truth in your business. Once you have done this, you will be able to work to enhance each customer touch point and identify areas that are potentially damaging to your business.

History

Jan Carlzon outlined the concept of “moments of truth” in his book of the same name published in the late 1980s. In the book, Carlzon recounts how he was able to turn around the failing Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) through a focus on improving customer service and the customer experience. The concept is very easy to apply to any business and serves as a great reminder to focus on what is most important – the customer.[wlm_ismember]

What are your moments of truth?

Moments of truth will be different for every business, and it is important that you identify every single one to ensure that you are not leaving any holes in the customer experience. It is also important to remember that the most recent experience will hold the most weight in terms of how the customer rates the overall experience.

For example, imagine you buy a new car and everything has gone well to date. However, when you go to collect your new vehicle, the salesperson leaves you waiting and then just hands over the keys in a rush with no fuss or fanfare. You go from feeling excited about the purchase to feeling a little flat, and even though you might be happy with the car, you are unlikely to rave about the dealership as they failed to deliver in that important moment of truth.

The following is a list of common moments of truth for you to work through in your business. There will be some on the list that do not apply, and there are likely to be some that apply to your business that you will not find here. We want you to use this list as a starting point for building a complete list of moments that are unique to your business.

First encounters

These days a customer’s first encounter with your business may not be with a member of your team; it could be an online, virtual encounter. Think about the following ways a customer may first come into contact with your business.

Website

• Are you easy to find online?
• Is it easy for the person to find your contact details?
• Is the website designed in such a way that it reflects your brand image?
• Is the information up to date?
• Is the website easy to navigate and use?
• Does it translate easily to mobile and tablet platforms?
• Does the website make it easy to do business with you?
• Is the call to action clear enough?

Social media

• Can potential customers find you on Facebook or other social media sites?
• Are your pages up to date?
• Do your pages reflect your brand and what you do?
• Is the contact information easy to find and accurate?
• Do you respond to comments and enquiries promptly?

Online reputation

• Do you monitor your online reviews and comments regularly?
• Do you act in a timely manner if someone is unhappy?
• Are you actively working to build a solid online reputation?
• Do you have a system and procedure to deal with bad feedback?
• Do you thank people for their positive feedback?
• Are you aware of all third-party review sites that you might appear on, and do you monitor them?

Phone enquiry

• Is the phone always answered promptly?
• Is it always the right person answering the phone?
• Do you have a consistent script for answering calls?
• What is the procedure if the person who answers the call cannot help?
• How are messages relayed to ensure prompt attention?
• If the phone is unattended, does the message provide enough information to the person so they are clear on a next step?

Face-to-face enquiry

• Are you easy to find?
• Are you always open during your advertised hours?
• What happens if the premises are unattended?
• Is there a standard procedure for greeting new customers?
• Is there a dedicated person to greet all new customers?
• Are the right people doing the meet and greet?
• Are there times when people are left waiting, and do you have a procedure for managing this?
• Is everyone who deals with customers trained and able to assist?
• Does your place of business create the best possible first impression?

The sales process

Depending on the business, the sales process may be quite simple, for example when a customer comes into a coffee shop and orders a takeaway coffee. For other businesses such as a car dealership, the sales process may be long and more involved, lasting days, weeks, months or even longer. It is important to note that the longer the gap between the initial enquiry and the completion of the transaction, the more important these moments of truth become. Often salespeople can start the process with high levels of enthusiasm and energy, only to fall off as time drags on or if the customer is taking an extended time to make a buying decision.

Initial meeting

• Is the right person involved in the meeting?
• Does the salesperson have all of the appropriate information?
• Will they be adequately prepared for the meeting?
• Are they trained and confident?
• Do their manner and appearance match your brand?
• Is the meeting taking place in the right location?
• Do we turn up on time, every time?
• Does any printed information that the customer will see reflect the brand image?
• Is everything that the customer sees or receives accurate and error-free?
• Does the sales presentation finish with a clear next step for the customer?

Follow-up

• Is follow-up handled professionally and appropriately?
• Do follow-up calls add value for the customer?
• Do you have a system that ensures follow-up is consistent?
• Is the person who is doing the follow-up properly trained?
• Is there a system to ensure that someone still follows up the customer if the original contact is unable to do so?

The transaction

• Is there a set process to ensure the transaction goes smoothly?
• Is the customer made to feel special?
• Is the process consistent with previous dealings?
• Do you make it easy for the customer to do business with you?
• Is the process about the customer or the paperwork?
• How is the handover of funds handled?
• Is all the paperwork clear and error-free?
• Is the transfer of goods or services completed with a “customer first” attitude?
• If multiple employees are involved, is service consistent across all departments?
• Is the customer clear on all the next steps?
• Does the customer receive a genuine and appropriate thank you?

After-sales service

The customer experience does not stop once the transaction is complete. Repeat and referral business is essential for a business’s growth; therefore, the moments of truth beyond the sale can become the most important. Remember also that the last interaction the customer has will tend to hold the most weight in their overall impression of the business.

Nurture

• Is there a system in place to ensure the customer relationship is nurtured over time?
• Do you have an after-sales process?
• Do you offer specials for repeat customers?
• Do you ensure that your existing customers are given special service?
• Do you have a system to acknowledge special dates and anniversaries?

Problems

• Do you handle problems and issues as well as you could?
• Do you have set systems and procedures?
• Are customers given the same consistent level of service that they received during the buying process?
• Do you follow up after the resolution to ensure the customer is satisfied?

Summary

As a business, you need to ensure every potential customer interaction is handled in a consistent and respectful manner. It is also important to understand that not all moments of truth hold the same weight or value in a customer’s mind. You will find that the moments of truth that involve interaction with your team will be more important to the customer. For example, an error may occur with paperwork that might irritate the customer; however, most will forgive this if the personal interaction is exceptional. It is important to remember that this does not work the other way around: if the personal interactions are substandard, perfect paperwork and systems can never turn this around.

Use this article in conjunction with others in the “Sales & Customer Service” section of the website to build an exceptional service experience for your customers.[/wlm_ismember]

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