Setting and meeting customer expectations is a complicated, multi-step process that begins before the first contact and continues all throughout the customer relationship, and requires the commitment of everyone in an organization.

1. Set and Met in 15 Steps
Customer Expectations

2. Strategic
Alignment

3. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
We
have
to
let
go
a
li,le
to
truly
hear
our
customers.
We
can’t
control
them—
humans
can’t
control
one
another—we
can
only
help
them.
Listen and Hear1

4. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Yahoo
CEO
Marissa
Mayer
is
known
for
being
acAve
on
social
media,
addressing
her
customers’
concerns
personally.
She
shows
employees
what
to
do
and
how
to
do
it.
Set Culture with Leaders2

5. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
The
only
way
to
really
know
our
own
products
and
services
is
to
use
them
as
our
customers
do—to
see
what
they
experience
and
need.
Put the Shoe on the Other Foot3

6. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Virgin
founder
Richard
Branson
says
we
need
to
set
our
customers’
expectaAons
realisAcally.
Keeping
them
conservaAve
enables
us
to
consistently
meet
those
expectaAons
or
even
exceed
them.
Keep Expectations Realistic4

7. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Our
customers’
view
of
us
is
probably
different
from
what
we
think
it
is.
To
align
those
views,
we
have
to
set
companywide
goals
and
make
sure
everyone
knows
how
to
achieve
them
on
a
daily
basis.
Align Strategy and Reality5

8. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
To
understand
our
own
marketplace,
we
have
to
know
what
all
the
players
are
doing.
We
don’t
have
to
copy
them,
but
we
have
to
know
what
they’re
doing.
Keep an Eye on the Other Guys6

9. Customer
Interactions

10. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Natural
helpers
don’t
need
a
lot
of
instrucAon—they
come
with
emoAonal
intelligence
and
communicaAon
skills
hardwired.
Hire
them
and
empower
them
to
help
customers.
Recruit the ‘Naturals’7

11. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
The
sales
interacAon
is
too
late.
We
have
to
influence
our
customers’
expectaAons
where
they
germinate:
our
website,
social
media,
adverAsing,
emails,
texts,
phone
calls
and
user
forums.
Set Expectations Early8

12. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Trust
is
vital
to
any
interacAon.
We
have
to
say
what
we
mean
and
mean
what
we
say
(i.e.,
deliver
on
our
promises).
We
also
have
to
be
empatheAc
and
transparent,
especially
when
emoAons
come
into
play.
Be Trustworthy9

13. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Consumers
are
evolving—they
want
us
to
help
them,
not
sell
to
them.
Tutorials
on
our
products
and
services
enable
customers
to
learn
about
what
we
sell
and
how
it
works
on
their
own.
Educate Customers10

14. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
With
so
many
ways
to
follow
up—social
media,
email,
text,
phone,
automated
voice—there’s
really
no
excuse.
We
all
appreciate
high-­‐touch
service.
Stay in Touch11

15. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Where
our
customers
are,
talking
about
us
right
now,
possibly.
If
we’re
not
there,
we
can’t
add
to
the
discussion
about
us.
Meanwhile,
Marissa
Mayer
is
on
social.
Be Active on Social Media12

16. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
Feedback
is
how
we
learn
about
our
shortcomings
and
improve
our
products
and
services.
We
have
to
make
it
easy
for
customers
to
provide
feedback,
through
every
touch
point—social
media,
our
website,
our
automated
voice
system,
et
cetera.
Engage at Every Touch Point13

17. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
According
to
customer
service
guru
Adrian
Swinscoe,
asking
“for
someone’s
opinion
and
then
not
doing
anything
substanAal
with
it
or
not
telling
them
what
[we]
are
going
to
do
following
their
input”
is
like
not
asking
them
in
the
first
place.
Employ What You Learn14

18. Copyright © 2015 The Plum Group, Inc
www.plumvoice.com
If
we
don’t
give
respondents
updates
on
what
we’re
doing
with
their
feedback,
we’re
not
engaging
them.
They
don’t
see
the
result
of
their
effort.
In
effect,
we’re
telling
them,
by
omission,
that
we
don’t
value
them.
Provide Feedback on Their Feedback15

19. www.plumvoice.com!