In the previous blog post, we have talked about best CX practices, what defines them, and have shown Coca-Cola’s example of a good Customer Experience and how it affected their business.
In this article, we will show you two more examples of good CX practices and their results. The first one is going to show a Southwest Airlines example, a regional American airline company, and the second one is going to show IKEA’s example and how they listened to their customer wishes.
The Southwest Airlines experience:
Southwest Airlines has a history of good customer care and they are doing their best to make the Customer Experience as pleasant as possible. One example of that is when a man booked a last-minute flight to meet his dying grandson, he found a very slow and long security line and was very afraid to miss the flight. He then told his wife about that and she decided to call the company’s customer service to explain the situation in response, they called the pilot and he held the plane on the ground until the man was ready.
The result of the airline’s acts which put the customer in the center is their fantastic customer service and support reputation. The customer’s hearts were won by the staff’s empathetic and caring approach. Southwest Airlines are famous for their employee care, and satisfied and happy employees will make a much better effort to make their customers happy, and in turn satisfied, loyal, and most importantly, repeat.
To offer a positive employee experience (EX) means to offer positive customer service, this then means positive CX. And good CX retains existing customers, improves their loyalty, and of course, acquires new customers that grow your business.
The IKEA experience:
This example will show how social listening can be used to understand customer wishes. In 2011, IKEA found a Facebook group called “I want to have a sleepover in IKEA”. They quickly used the opportunity and hosted “The Big Sleepover” campaign. One hundred random winners were chosen for a sleepover in their UK showroom. They could completely personalize and customize their experience by selecting any mattress and pillow from the catalog. They were also given sleepover gift bags, free massage, and dinner in the IKEA cafeteria, entertainment, and they even hired a sleep expert to advise the customers. IKEA promoted this initiative on social media, and afterward they did it in other countries.
A few years later, the company had a campaign that was similar to the previous one, called the “Wake Up with IKEA” competition. Winners, 25 of them, were chosen by a 25-word “essay” on why they want a better night’s sleep with IKEA.
The result of that campaign was direct purchases after the first night by the people who had a sleepover, and their bedding sales have greatly increased, making them the most popular category. It also resonated really well on social media. Listening to their customers on social media and addressing their wishes worked out really well for them. This proactive and personalized experience has actually made customers try the products to create a need to buy them. And the social media campaign gave them a lot of publicity and in turn, a rise in sales.
It is important to use social media to listen to your customers. Paying attention to their concerns is pivotal, but it is also very important that you listen to what else they have to say indirectly. This gives your company a unique opportunity to create innovative CX, which in turn boosts your reputation and sales.
