Want to see customer experience in action? Just go on vacation. There’s no better time to see customer experience firsthand from a number of companies when you’re in a situation that isn’t as comfortable as being at home. However, it can also highlight outdated technology and bad practices.
On a recent ski trip to Tahoe, I had a string of poor customer experiences, and almost every one of them was related to outdated technology and poor systems. The arduous process of renting a car was made worse when I couldn’t take the car I had finally been assigned off the lot because the CRM system hadn’t updated its miles. Thanks to an archaic system, I had to go back to the desk to start the entire process over again. Similarly, even getting on the ski slopes was more difficult than it needed to be because the barcode wouldn’t scan and let someone other than the pass holder enter the lift, even after the system had mis-assigned the passes. This was in addition to all of the expenses to buy and rent supplies and gear for the slopes, when of course the rented helmet didn’t work, but the staff couldn’t replace it because of their computer system.
Some areas of customer service are definitely tech-savvy, even when traveling. Consider the great examples of Uber and Airbnb, which lets customers book via mobile phone and enter a rented apartment with just a key code. Those seamless uses of technology make the misses with other companies and industries even more frustrating.
There is often an emphasis in the customer experience world on implementing new technology and pushing the most innovative practices as far as they can go with things like artificial intelligence, chatbots, and the internet of things, but so many problems need to be fixed with basic technology before we can move on to anything even remotely more advanced.
So what can companies do? Go back to basics. If your basic technology isn’t in line, don’t even think about innovating and trying to do something else. Make sure your computer systems are updated and that employees have the knowledge and power to use the system and meet customer demands. Before we can rely on artificial intelligence, we need real intelligence with basic tech. Customers expect technology in their experience, especially in our modern age. Don’t ruin a customer’s experience with outdated tech that could easily be fixed. Walk before you run, and clean up current tech before you jump into anything new or innovative.
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