The optimism of #Purpose & science of #design in forging #digital customer experiences! Opinions my own!

We have natural, reflexes and responses to external stimuli such as heat – we learn quickly to avoid touching a hot kettle etc. but what’s even more primal, is our internal barometer towards authenticity! We received love/ care as babies, from parents and family, and even then with the simplest of senses, we could determine who’s with us, and who’s that black sheep [sibling/ cousin] that’s secretly jealous. We didn’t need to be taught we instinctively knew! Knew how to fend for ourselves, stay lodged in the “tribe” and received love and nourishment from the most number of individuals as possible – in other words, in detecting authenticity, we increased our survival rates. Maybe a little far fetched today, but yes, authenticity is a very basic human, very primal requirement!

Customers today, all consumers have a highly acute sense of what’s genuine and an advanced ability to spot bs some ill advised companies throw at them (at their own peril of course). To win customers over today, a business—its leaders, frontline workers, marketers and behind-the-scenes operators—needs to behave in a way that is genuine and is perceived by customers to be authentic. Actually, they need to believe in a shared, common purpose; there’s no way to hide that. That explains why a lot more organisations are immersing themselves trying to crack the Purpose ratio and trust barometers – internally and externally. This is the circle of trust! As we often say, treat ours well, and they in turn, will treats theirs (..well).

Over the years, we postulate that there must be positive correlation between authenticity, trust and wallet share, financial spend for all personas and segments of customers; millennials, boomers, XY & Gen-Alpha .

The authenticity detector- like a lie detector- is especially acute and obtuse with millennials. Recent surveys on employee engagement would also show more slices of cynicism with the “younger” ones. They’re an interesting lot – entitled, all about *now*, instant gratification and a greater good – they’re especially sensitive to artifice. But the word authentic is especially emblematic of the millennials and Gen Alphas.

Millennials leave jobs without having another. Millennials are innately drawn to Why we do What we do, Less how we do it. They can’t describe it, but every fibre in their bodies resonate with authenticity. Authentically good, authentically bad, authentic. They want us to mean what we say, say what we mean – something we often take for granted. If what we really stand for emanates, those that are drawn to our beliefs, those that believe what we believe (..build a better working world etc) will be inspired. Inspiration drives action, drives determination that is unprecedented. This is how a single person changes the world..

Aura of Authenticity

Authenticity is intrinsic to us: don’t forget our origins/ roots. That’s why a genuine founder or spokesperson is a purpose beacon; not always the CEO.

This individual, founders, they emanate purpose most strongly. Case in point Jobs & Apple and now a custodian like Cook who carries on the “tradition”. I feel though, that the founder’s Purpose attenuated over time, eventually leading to a “crack” or a split. And that’s when the company starts getting “lost” – financial metrics will plummet alongside.

. Today, customer experience is the brand – our brand. Good products and services are still prerequisites, but there’s no 2 ways about it. The experience we co-immerse, co-design with our customers = brand = manifestation of our purpose.

Authenticity comes through in the customer experience we create, and we have an opportunity to do something meaningful for our customers, something that attracts their continuing and increasing business over time. Ideally we should reimagine and re+co-design these experiences with them. Let them co-create products and services, reimagine how “magical” experiences should be etc. What better way to be authentic. The key operative word = be. We can’t force these things. If we truly believe, then we will be authentic in all that we say and do – and being authentic (today) trumps emotionless execution, cost take outs and automation.

The advent of eco-brands e.g. Kayu in mid 2010s was interesting. Celebrities and socialites wanted to be seen wearing wooden/ bamboo eyewear on red carpets; they’re renewable, is easy on the environment and arguably, fashionable – great way to impress upon your upper east side friends. Well, it made us feel good, and more specifically it was an extension of purpose, a purpose we could all relate to. Buying a pair of sunglasses for $100 we think twice, thrice. Buying a pair of Kayu eco-friendly eye gear we could shell out $300 (because parts of the proceeds goes to charity..). See the difference? It would be interesting to track the success of these eco-brands, if there’s a purpose barrier to overcome (once their revenues become “too big”, there’s a “crack” in their purpose”.)

Stop thinking, start doing, actually- start being ourselves

There can be no rules, and no prescribed/ fixed way to interact with customers today. They come with an infinite variety of needs and wants aka “problems” to client-facing staff. They also come with a spectrum of moods to boot!

All our customers identify, and resonate (hopefully) with our purpose – that’s why they’re a customer (still) and every interaction is an opportunity for us to build trust. When “angry” customers call in, there’s a breach (minor -> major) in trust. Whether it’s a brand promise, a service failure, quality etc; something rocked that particular customer’s resonance with our purpose- often times, we just didn’t come across authentic in those interactions. And it’s hard. How does purpose and authenticity even translate- what does it even mean to thousands of employees. It might be “second nature” to the founder, the CEO but as we traverse down the ranks, more of it gets lost in translation.

Consider arming all front-liners and service staff with problem solving skills; adopt a designer’s mindset in doing so. There are no fixed scripts, just an empathy placement with oodles and doodles of conversations that increasingly build and cement trust..

“The things that matter can’t be scripted. We can build scenarios – prefer role plays – but we need to couple this with empowerment to do what’s right and what’s authentic.” – me.

But the results are worth it – north of positive, and the impact will be clear in the flexible, nuanced, authentic brand of experience we bottle.

Be an Original- after all there’s only One of You!