Let’s cut through the noise and get specific in a world filled with hype and buzzwords. Raving fans are not just satisfied customers who leave with a warm, fuzzy feeling. No, they are a breed apart, and their behavior sets them apart from the rest. Let’s delve into the key characteristics that define raving fans, why the post-transaction feeling is crucial, and how some businesses miss the mark, with a friendly nod to a familiar fast-food giant.
Raving Fans Buy More, More Often:
Raving fans are not your run-of-the-mill customers. They don’t just make the minimum purchase necessary to satisfy their immediate needs. Instead, they go all in. They buy more, and they do it more frequently. Whether it’s a product or a service, raving fans can’t get enough of what you offer. And here’s the kicker – they keep coming back for more.
Now, it’s essential to note that this “coming back” concept doesn’t apply to all businesses. For instance, a wedding chapel may not want customers returning every year to get married again! However, they can enhance the customer experience by offering additional services or partnering with other businesses to provide post-wedding services.
Maximizing the Post-Transaction Feeling:
The key to cultivating raving fans lies in how your customers feel after the transaction is complete. While many companies focus solely on creating excitement at the point of sale, raving fan builders take it a step further. They prioritize the post-transaction feeling, making sure that customers feel even better after the entire journey than before purchasing.
For most businesses, the emotional high often peaks at the point of sale. They aim to get customers excited enough to part with their money, and then they hope nothing goes wrong. This approach results in satisfied customers, but not raving fans. Instead of measuring success solely by the initial excitement of saying “yes” to the sale, companies should evaluate their success by how customers feel after the entire journey concludes. This shift in perspective can help design an experience that leaves customers loving the brand more after it’s all said and done.
The McDonald’s Example:
Let’s take a moment to reflect on a global giant, McDonald’s. While some of us may have fond childhood memories associated with their food, the fast-food giant’s customer experience strategy is quite different from the Customer Experience Engine we’ve been discussing. McDonald’s is renowned for maximizing efficiency and convenience rather than focusing on post-transaction feelings.
In the United States, the experience at McDonald’s can often be less than ideal – cold fries, surly staff, sticky floors, and slow service, despite being a fast-food restaurant built on efficiency. It’s a classic example of a successful Bare Minimum Engine, where customers may satisfy their hunger quickly but feel worse after the experience than they did initially.
Creating raving fans isn’t about flashy advertising or marketing campaigns alone. It’s about providing a holistic customer experience that leaves your customers not just satisfied but eager to return for more. The post-transaction feeling is the secret sauce that can transform a customer into a raving fan. While examples like McDonald’s demonstrate that you can make money with a different approach, the Customer Experience Engine truly wins hearts and builds a devoted following. So, remember, it’s not just about getting the sale; it’s about making your customers want to come back for more, again and again.
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