Customer Obsession: Examples, Definition, and Implementation Strategy
Recently, we’ve been hearing the phrase “customer obsession” quite a lot, but what is it really? Well, it refers to the company mindset that is mainly focused on improving the customer’s experience and on making the best decisions to drive the business in a direction that is beneficial for the customer. In this article we plan to highlight how customer-obsessed companies work, while also providing solid examples and steps for your strategy.
1. Customer obsession examples
When we did our research for this article, the same names kept popping up, which can only indicate that the companies we are about to take a look at are the true customer obsession giants.
Amazon is the first company on our list and their approach is centered not only on promoting a customer-centered strategy internally, but also on reducing their price for numerous products and services and choosing to break even with the sell, while making a profit as their clients start using their products. Being a market giant allows them to employ this type of riskier and exploratory approach, as they can always recover, should the strategy not work as expected.
IKEA comes in second place on this list as the Swedish home we never knew we needed. IKEA’s strategy is built on hospitality, affordable products and the DIY aspect of their products that make heading to their store to buy a Vebjörn desk not just a purchase, but a whole experience.
Discord is our third mention here, as they have built a strong brand with a worldwide clientele in just a few years. Discord is a VOIP software facilitating voice and video calls for all types of communities and it does everything for free, laying out just a few premium features behind a relatively inexpensive subscription. They understood the need for a comprehensive and user-friendly VOIP software and they delivered on it ever since 2015.
The list can most definitely go on, but we believe the examples so far paint a strong picture already.
Also read: 5 Tips To NOT Help Send Your Customers To Competitors
2. Why is customer obsession important?
We’ve established that customer obsession is a popular mindset, but why is it really all that important? Well, it leads to great customer service and an overall much more enjoyable customer journey. As, we’ve established in some of our other articles, happy customers mean great business and benefits for both sides, so it’s always a good idea to invest into a strategy that leads the company in this direction, even when it proves to be quite the costly endeavor.
In the long run, it is clear from many examples that this is the right way to treat your customers and opting for cheaper solutions or cutting corners will only bring a short term benefit, if any.
Also read: Should A Small Business Invest In Customer Support?
3. What's the difference between customer service and customer obsession?
The distinction here is quite simple, really. While many companies choose to merely dabble in customer service, while only offering their clients the bare minimum or an otherwise unremarkable experience, customer obsessed businesses put that experience at the center of their operation and ensure that they do everything in their power to constantly improve and optimize it; and the results speak for themselves.
Also read: 5 Ways To Deliver Great Customer Service
4. What is the strategy for becoming customer-obsessed?
There is, of course, no exact formula for how to achieve this, as every business works differently and creates different expectations for their customers. However, we believe that a few things can be kept in mind in order to at least ensure a company is on the right track.
Know your customer
Having deep understanding of your customer’s needs and expectations is an invaluable tool towards offering a great experience. The more you know about your clients, the more you can customize your products and services to fit their needs.
Facilitate feedback
You want to constantly have an ear to the ground and listen closely to not only feedback about what you are doing great, but also about what you can improve. Maintaining an accessible communication channel for your customer is paramount in understanding their needs.
Break convention
Many companies start out thinking that every industry has some rules that are set in stone and nobody can evade, but the truth is there are no rules. Businesses can experiment and try new things that others would never even dare consider. If there is any opportunity for greatness and uniqueness, take it! Once you’ve learned to walk, why not try to fly too?
Also read: 4 Ways of Scaling Customer Support With Automation
5. Conclusion
We’ve seen examples of companies applying it, we understand why it’s important and how to start driving strategy in its direction. One thing is clear; customer obsession is definitely the way to ensure your customers stay happy and loyal to your business. We’d be thrilled to see more businesses adopt this mindset, so why not start your journey towards this goal today as well? We’ll be looking out for new stars shining in the sky!
Would you like to begin your customer-obsessed journey with improving your support solutions? Give us a free call and let us help you find the right tools for your strategy.