So as we all know, design requires constant inspiration. And whether that means following the accounts of all your favorite designers on Instagram, traveling far and wide to events and beautiful spaces, or simply skimming the latest shelter magazines, it’s a continual work in progress. Right?
But what about your client experience? Do you find yourself doing the same thing? Looking all around for inspiration and high achievers, wondering how you could adapt their ideas to your own business? Maybe not, but if you’re looking to up your client experience game, you really should be.
Let Yourself Be Inspired, By Everyone
And that’s because, your client experience requires just as much inspiration as your designs do. I mean creating an exceptional client experience is hard enough. But doing it without examples of what a job well done is, and looks like, well now that’s a nearly impossible task, and possibly a very fruitless one too.
Without exceptional examples you’re constantly going to be asking yourself, where do I start? What do I need? What’s a high priority item, and what’s a low priority item? How should it flow from beginning to end? And even if you’re already doing a darn good job of delivering an exceptional experience, you still need inspiration for how to take things to that next level.
You want some good news though? Your inspiration doesn’t have to come from another designer, or even anyone closely related to design. I mean they can, and certainly they might, especially when it comes to industry specific client problems. But businesses outside of your own industry have just as much to offer, if not even more.
Let’s take a car dealership. Couldn’t possibly learn anything from them, could you? I mean, a high end interior designer studio and a Honda dealership, there’s no possible connection. Well, you might be surprised.
Just like you, they deal with people walking in with a very strongly preconceived idea of what the experience of buying a car is like (and it’s never good). And so do you. And the car dealership is going to have to work just as hard to successfully counter those expectations, as you do. They have to ask the right questions, truly understand their customer’s needs, and make a personal connection, all while desperately hoping they don’t get “shopped.” Sound like someone else you know?
Mix & Match Your Muses
And here’s the thing, this is happening with all different types of businesses, all over your area. They’re doing great, and maybe not so great at times, things with their client experience, and they can easily be learned from. So whether it’s a car dealership whose great at countering client expectations, or a pet bakery that’s phenomenal at making you feel special, it can all be, and should all be learned from.
You don’t want to limit yourself to just one though. Mix and match where you learn and what you learn. So just like you probably have a few designers you follow for their use of bold lighting choices, and a few for their use of beautiful flooring, and yet a few more for their sleek kitchen designs, you want to do the same with the client experience.
So rather than just watching and learning from the car dealership, or the pet bakery, learn from them both, and maybe even throw in a phenomenal grocery store too. Let them all be your muse, in the category that they really excel in. Really take the time to notice the experience of being a customer somewhere else. Pay attention to all of the points in your journey from beginning to end and see all of the incredible work and attention that has been paid to it. Then learn, be inspired, and definitely, write lengthy notes.
Which leads us to this week’s sweetly simplified action,
Sweetly Simplified Action: – Spend the rest of the week experiencing businesses of all types, and noticing, really noticing what it’s like. Take note of what you do and don’t like each time. At the end of the week, circle everything you wrote down more than once.
And next week we’ll be back to talk about taking what you appreciated about the experience that other businesses provide, to define your own client experience style!
Let me know in the comments below, who do you follow for client experience inspiration? I’d love to know!
And if you’re looking for ways to become an inspiration to your own clients, then take a look at what we’ve got for you here!
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