First Human Contact in Your Customer's Journey is Part of the Experience

Investments in human capital are thought to be effective drivers of business growth and key KPIs like profit, customer retention, and referral business.

While this holds true for most businesses, one aspect many miss is this: customers need to reach that human interaction in an emotional high so they can be continuously engaged and influenced positively throughout their journey.

That's why it's critical to ensure all customer-facing employees are trained to add value at every interaction.

The Cost of Unprepared Front-Line Staff

The lack of capability on the front line creates gaps in customer experience that lead directly to profit loss, customer churn, and slowing growth.

Imagine a greeter, receptionist, or first-contact employee whose only job is to greet customers and direct them. They miss the opportunity to set a positive tone for the entire brand experience.

First contact can either enhance the customer's buy-in or create neutral, or worse, negative associations with your brand.

When the front line isn't aligned with the rest of the customer journey, several problems emerge:

1. Recovery Becomes HarderThe next contact must work harder to bring the customer back to your baseline experience level. This only works if that employee even knows there was a slip. Result? Success depends on who your customer talks to - you've created "heroes" instead of systems.

2. You Lose Profit to DiscountingTo convert, you offer add-ons or discounts. The customer buys, but profit margins shrink. You've compensated for poor experience with price.

3. Customers Silently ExitMost customers don't tell you why they didn't buy. They're driven by the perception formed in those initial moments of contact. They simply don't convert.

The Solution

When you design customer experiences, involve all employees but especially train your first-contact staff. They set the stage. Make it a positive one.