The Bank Channel

Choice – always not enough, or simply too much. Wherever you look there are thousands of books to choose from, dozens of configurations in the PC you buy, so many different products lining the supermarket shelves that you either can’t find anything, or get so particular in your ’settings’ that life becomes about the detail.

I do feel however, that this situation is of course more about companies creating opportunities for themselves rather than customers demanding it. Who in their right mind needs some of the things we can purchase today – the snuggie, wedgie-proof underwear, juice with Fish Oil (… just eat fish!) – they’re all out there. And yet, what is it that makes you really happy? A simple meal with real food, a good book about a human story, seeing something as old and real as the Pyramids. When we’re buying we’re in a retail environment and hence we’re being swindled.

Its not new and yet we fall for it. (Living in Singapore now, I’ve been exposed to the national sport of shopping, so my retail senses are heightened).

This leads me to the idea of bundling. The video above from the film L.A. Story shows even in the faddish 90s how ordering coffee become a degree-qualified act. Being in Starbucks recently I found myself very slowly running through 6 words in a deliberate, clear voice to ensure I understood what I was ordering let alone the overly chirpy staff member could simply shout it again towards the coffee machine crew (no ticketing system to make sure? mental).

I the next day went to another similar chain, where there were some very friendly (and calm) people. I got a smile, a coffee, a bagel and the (most excellent) Financial Times newspaper for about $6.50. A bargain.

Even better, I got the same thing again the next morning, as my loyalty behaviour kicked in.

But then, the day after that, I went to the smaller, more unique shop next door.

A handcrafted design and style, with a some more ‘alternative’ staff and ambience, and I got a simple coffee. For $4.

Which I liked. More than any other here in Singapore.

So much so that the bundle became insignificant. The core product worked and I liked it. It didnt matter what puffery and magic it came with – the coffee was good.

Their core product was good, and if I wanted more, I could have asked for it. But I didn’t need it.

My needs, as they say in the biz, were met. Not necessarily exceeded, but thats fine. It was just a coffee.

And it wasn’t a decaf half-caf with a twist of lemon.

No doubt there are many ways that will work better for your business than others when setting up a Customer Experience model or team, but I’d like to share with you my approach on how a Customer Experience team can produce effective work and results.

I believe this model covers most of the disciplines of work (rather than scope) when managing a set of channels, and should work well for smaller businesses especially. Its a good first start to think of this model when starting a CX team.

Lets explore each element of the diagram below:

As you can see there are a few parts to this model. Lets start on the left hand side and go to the right. Then later we’ll discuss the dotted line through the middle and the boundary it creates.

Part 1 – Voice of the Customer Inputs & Research
This area coordinates the inputs of customer feedback and preference. Mostly through traditional methods like market research, including focus groups, surveys and contextual research; it may also include input from customer facing staff.

Part 2 – Customer Experience Management
This part is where the real change begins, and indeed creates results. This is where a user centred design process will be best employed, especially in the second pair of points below.

The first pair has a strategy focus. This is where you can set the guiding principles for everything you create, and reflects the wider business objectives and measures you need to contribute to:

• Customer Experience Strategy & Business Analysis – this is where the strategic direction is set for the channel suite. Understanding the reasons for a business’ CX failure. This will also be the conduit for the business to input changes, objectives, process issues.
• Best Practice, Research & Innovation – where you can understand who is kicking the big goals, or creating breakthrough or incremental innovation. This is where you can run a holistic innovation process and department, with experiment and ‘play’ essential.

Next we have the coalface of customer experience, where usability, experience design and the detail (”what colour button should we have? what screen comes next in this process?”)

• Enhance existing customer / user experience – where you find existing processes or experiences that require improvement or attention, based on customer feedback or best practice comparison
• Developing new customer / user experience – where you create new experiences that previously didnt exist (current trends are in mobile and touch screen, speech recognition, etc) through a process of best practice, innovation or simply filling a niche

Part 3 – Business Metrics & Engagement
The outputs of your work will hopefully result in improved targets and metrics across your channel mix. These metrics and the process that created them can build a compelling story to share with those in the business who have yet to really understand the benefits of a CX practice.

So what about the dotted line?

This line indicates a distinct split in the mindset and subject matter, and more practically, where you can delineate between roles and team members.

• Above the dotted line lies the higher, more strategic responsibility.
• Below the dotted line lies the real detail and effort to create or improve particular experiences.

Let me explain further.

For example, a CX leader will deal with those items above the dotted line. They can understand the wider voice of the customer inputs on a business/brand wide level; create the general customer experience strategy; access and be experts in best practice; foster innovation and new thinking; and ensure the top 3-4 business metrics are met (eg customer satisfaction; NPS; loyalty)

A UX practitioner may work for the CX leader, and manage below the dotted line. They may take direct feedback on a specific interaction or experience, like an application process, via complaints, interaction surveys, etc; they will recognise and fix specific experiences that need refinement, improvement or even reconstruction (depending on the impact this change will have through the business); they will advise directly on and design new interactions and interfaces; they will track the outcomes of their specific changes.

In reality this process relfects a simple Listen > Respond & Change > Monitor approach, but allocates specific tasks and areas of expertise and outcomes to 2 people or more (believe me, I can say from personal experience that to do all of the above, and be responsible for it can be hard work – switching your mindset from high level strategic issues such as wider business unit objectives in one meeting, to then discussing the specific layout of a forms elements, fields and instructions can be slightly inefficient in the long run.)

So, whats the ideal team?

My ideal allocation of resources would be across 3 people actually -

• a CX leader/manager answerible to strategy, marketing and other areas. These folk may originate from the UX practitioners, or even be strategic customer advocates in the business.
• a UX expert practitioner responsible for process and interaction improvement and development via usability and other methods. These may be user experience designers, architects, web designers, etc.
• and an expert Market Researcher responsible for voice of the customer inputs and insight. They also need to be able to process internal metrics and inputs to give added context.

Indeed in a larger organisation, there may be a need to have one or more people allocated to each box individually. Imagine a team of 6 or more in say a large retail bank (a market researcher, 2 web designers inc UX expertise, a couple of architects for branch experience, innovation program, internal communications); and a team of 3 for a medium regional bank.

So there you go – create this structure across a team of 1 or more, and you’re guaranteed to create an effective and more importantly comprehensive CX team offering for any business.

Its scalable, flexible, covers large and small issues, keeps track of the competitors, speaks to stakeholders and most importantly understands and listens to customers, using them across many disciplines of the CX team setup. 

Tell me, whats your team setup?