Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person.
This can be an advantage to startups who don’t have the resources and brand awareness of mature businesses, if they understand and position themselves to win in the decisive moments of the new customer buying process. These decisive moments, and how to respond, are outlined in Robert H. Bloom’s classic book, “The New Experts: Win Today’s Newly Empowered Customers.”
Bloom is a widely known expert on managing business growth, and he starts by summarizing the three key weapons of current customers, which include an instant summary of choices, prices, and features. His research indicates that they don’t have any old-fashioned customer loyalty, and they want precisely what appeals to them at the moment, preferably customized just for them.
New startups actually have a flexibility advantage over more mature businesses in anticipating and reacting to the four key decisive moments that Bloom outlines and I have observed in the new customer buying process:
- Survive the now-or-never moment. You only get one chance to make a great first impression. If you can’t get a positive customer perception at this first moment, you will likely never get another chance – with so many other alternatives. The key to winning in that moment is to think like a buyer, not the seller. Build a relationship and trust quickly.
- Win the make-or-break moment. You win here by getting the customer immediately engaged, and keeping him there, by knowing their interests and expectations better than any competitor or alternative. Avoid the extended period of evaluation and negotiation during which the customer will likely move to other transaction alternatives.
- Sustain the keep-or-lose moment. The buying process is just the beginning of the customer experience, and it has to remain a good one throughout the time that your customer actually uses your product or service. Great startups manage to continually improve the relationship through outstanding follow-on support and service.
- Capitalize on the multiplier moment. Of course you want your customer to come back, but the best ones also become your evangelists in bringing their friends to you, and broadcasting their positive experiences to the world through social media. This is a key moment where your customer acquisition costs go way down, and your profits go way up.
This new world is all about empowered customers. As an entrepreneur and startup, you should love this environment and cater to it. Many existing businesses see it as a big problem, and can’t adapt easily. That’s your chance to step in and compete at every moment of the customer buying process, usage experience, and follow-on events.
As you bring on employees to facilitate your growth, they have to embrace the new reality. Empowered customers required empowered employees, and your internal business processes have to be aligned with the same principles and the same smartphone and Internet technologies. Make sure you adopt the right hiring practices and training to keep your team responsive.
Then you have to trust the team to think and act proactively on behalf of your vision and mission. Of course, both you and they will make mistakes, which are the best learning experiences. Continuous innovation and change are the keys to staying current, reducing complexity, and delivering the winning customer experience to keep you ahead of the competition.
What most companies don’t realize is that businesses don’t drive customer trends anymore, customers drive business trends. Consumers are well aware of the latest technologies, and their expectations are usually ahead of even the most forward-thinking startups. It’s up to you to understand and capitalize on the decisive moments of empowered customers, or you will become a “has-been” before you even start.