I once place a team building game with the pleasant side effect of revealing a lesson on customer segmentation.
The challenge was for the participants to self-organize into groups of 2 or 3 people with something they all had in common. Then we broke up and did it again. A second round, changing what we used as the common criteria. Different groups formed.
When you focus on attracting customers, you are often doing something similar to the first round of the game.
You first identify common problems or aspirations of your customers. So that your messaging resonates with them. They then self-select to join you in their customer journey.
Once they are customers, you might find they have other needs. A different sorting of customer happens. They might use the product or service in a way unique to them. You may need to then consider a sub-segment.
That is why personalization of customer experiences is so powerful.
Often what attracts a customer is a common why you are offering your product or service.
Personalization often addresses a unique what or how.
Maybe a customer needs more handholding. While another wants to get in and out quickly. Maybe one comes prepared for the task at hand. While another has work to do first.
A vanilla way of servicing them usually ends up in no one being happy.
It’s why multiple agents serving one queue of people flows better. One customer can spend a longer time with an agent without the next customer having to wait. And it’s why getting into the slow line at the grocery store can be so frustrating to someone in a hurry.
An interesting trend in customer delivery is to offer personalized customer flows to handle the unique requirements of users.
There are a variety of ways that we can attempt to determine the right flow for a particular customer. All require seeking more data by listening to what customers need.
Possibly it means you add an assessment survey as part of the initial onboarding. It may require a more detailed handover from sales team to service, to pass the relevant information. AI is being used in some platforms to help determine flows.
Next time, you encounter a vendor that provides you exactly with what you need when you need it. Don’t’ think it’s magic. It was probably personalization.
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