^TM

Good enough is just not good enough anymore and has not been for a long time. We have become a society of “I want it all” and “I want it now.” Today, in particular, as prices continue to rise and people are feeling the pinch, customers are becoming less tolerant of errors, delays and poor service and instead are demanding excellence. The time is right for a resurgence of customer delight. How? By providing Customer W.O.W.

What’s Needed-On Time-With Value

Sounds simple, but if it was, anyone could do it. What makes creating W.O.W. so tricky is that the components are constantly changing. “What’s Needed” today will be old news tomorrow. If you don’t believe that ask anyone with a teenager. It would seem that as soon as youbuy the latest cell phone with all the bells and whistles, another phonehits the market that does twice as much.

The definition of “On Time” has also taken on new meaning. The “I want it now” mentality requires that products and services be delivered exactly when the customer wants them and technology has made this expectation a reality. Need a book – download it. Want some shoes – order from Zappos and get them delivered the next day. Wait two weeks for anything – are you kidding?

But the most volatile component of the W.O.W. equation is “With Value.” Value is defined as relative worth, merit or importance. And yes – it is the customer that will define this for your product or service. And yes, they can change their definition as often as they want.

Like it or not, the road to Customer W.O.W. is constantly changing. If you want to “Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side”™ you’ll need to figure out how to quickly adapt to these changing needs. Join me over the next several weeks as we step our way through a framework for creating customer W.O.W.