In my experience

"Experience tells me…" "In my experience…" "We learn from experience that…" "Past experiences dictate…"

Well worn, familiar phrases used day in, day out by all of us.

Uniformly accepted by parents, teachers, businesspeople and even, reluctantly, those of us who have struggled to grow up.

Yet, despite experience being the springboard for almost all we do in our personal life, it is not the fundamental element that drives most businesses! But it should be.

Over a series of articles I will demonstrate that the single most important element an organisation can deliver is a series of consistently positive customer experiences. They will become the foundation from which value, loyalty, recommendation and competitive advantage spring.

Some will argue that service is the key differentiator but I will argue service is just one factor, albeit an important one, in the heady cocktail of the customer experience. Simply put, who has not been to a highly regarded restaurant with superb food and a host of meticulously trained waiters and waitresses attending to your every whim but has felt the place to be cold, distant and, potentially, intimidating, as though you were doing them a favour? Or, perhaps, the scrupulously trained call centre employee following the polite, stress reducing script that seems to be doing everything but solving your problem. Calm and courteous but, alas, ineffective.

So how did we get here? A quick trip in the time machine shows us.

Historically we have moved from an agrarian economy, through an industrial economy on through the information age to now, allegedly, the knowledge economy. In tune with that markets, too, have moved from being local to national to international and now global (bring on space colonies or extra-terrestrials to expand beyond that). Finally, within that framework, demand has changed from products to goods to services to experiences. Without doubt we are now in the Experience Economy; an economy in which people not only decide what and how to buy but also where and when they want to spend their time and money. Clearly the answer needs to be, with you.

Why, you ask, do I call it the Experience Economy? Well, here are some examples:-

What is Starbucks but theatre, drama and an experience? Why else pay £’s for something that costs pence? The idea behind Starbucks was to simulate a British pub but for coffee drinkers. A place where people could sit, relax, work, meet friends, spend time and pay a premium for the pleasure of doing it!

In the same light think of themed restaurants (The Rainforest and Hard Rock Cafés) and the proliferation of Sports Bars.

We now create theatres at home with large screens and surround sound. Kitchens are filled, due to the darling personalities of celebrity chefs, with industrial cookers and a variety of gadgets and devices designed not only to produce wonderfully complex food but also to charm (and create envy amongst) our friends!

You now no longer need to go to the golf course, tennis court or bowling alley; you can Wii without leaving the house. Just make sure to rest periodically.

Further, you can ski (indoors in Dubai) in temperatures of 120 degrees; you can stay in Ice Hotels; visit at least nine different types of spa; fly war planes (MiGs over Moscow) and design your own footwear on Adidas and Nike web sites. Even parties for children have changed. No longer do you invite kids over for a few games, food and drink. Instead it is Pamper Parties, Build a Bear Workshops, Paint Ball et al.

None of this is bad, just a reflection of the economy in which we live. In future articles we will show that it doesn’t matter if you are in business to business or business to consumer, a concise focus on the customer experience will dramatically improve your bottom line. We will cover capturing and using customer intelligence; the creation of desirable offerings; leadership skills; organisational agility; using customer feedback and the importance of emotional engagement.

Meanwhile, remember Samuel Johnson who, when talking of a man who immediately re-married after the death of wife with whom he was unhappy, said ‘for it to succeed… it would have to be the triumph of hope over experience.’

And, finally, "Experience is what you gain when you don’t get what you expect." Just make sure that you constantly provide your customers with a steady diet of positive, little surprises that make them appreciate you more.

Brian Hadfield is an accomplished and inspirational business leader.

As well as being the driving force behind the annual Customer Experience Awards (sponsored by the Sunday Times) and one of the founding directors of the change consultancy, Tesselate Ltd; he is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Woburn Estates where he has brought his customer experience, expertise and leadership experience to deliver success to the diverse portfolio of a world renowned Golf Course, Country Estate, Hotel and of course the Safari Park.

Prior to this Brian held a number of senior, global positions in the Technology Industry including Managing Director, Unisys Ltd., and Vice President and General Manager, U.K., Middle East, Africa and India.

We are pleased to count Brian as one of our most senior and experienced strategic consultants.