CX Book Gems #9: "I'll Be Back" by Shep Hyken
Book summary of "I'll Be Back: How to Get Customers to Come Back Again & Again" by Shep Hyken.
This week’s book is I'll Be Back: How to Get Customers to Come Back Again & Again by Shep Hyken.
📘 Book Summary
I’ll Be Back offers a deep dive into customer loyalty, focusing on how businesses can not only attract but also retain customers in a world filled with choices. The book takes readers on a journey through the foundational concepts of customer experience and how to instill a culture that promotes repeat business. Hyken stresses that achieving customer loyalty is more than just providing a good product or service; it's about creating a consistent, pleasant experience that resonates so deeply that customers will invariably return. With practical advice and strategies distilled from a wealth of experience, Hyken aims to transform the way businesses view and handle their customer relationships, turning average interactions into lasting bonds.
The human touch is essential to creating customer loyalty.
6 steps to get your customers to say “I’ll be back!”
Ask why someone would do business with your company and not with the competition: Identify your unique value proposition. Go beyond generic answers and define what truly sets your business apart in a way that competitors cannot. This specificity helps in crafting a unique identity that resonates with customers.
Ask why someone someone would do business with the competition instead of your company: Analyze the competition. Understand what competitors offer and identify opportunities for differentiation. Assess whether adopting similar strategies could benefit your business, but ensure they align with your unique value.
Keep pace with what the competition is doing: Personalize competitive strategies. If adopting competitive strategies, tailor them to fit your business ethos. Avoid being a mere copycat, as authenticity in service provision enhances customer perception of your brand as a non-commodity.
Look outside your industry: Expand industry horizons. Encourage your team to find inspiration outside of your industry by identifying businesses they admire and the reasons why. Any favorable aspects from these companies can be an innovative addition to your service.
Borrow from the best outside your industry: Incorporate best practices from the best companies, not just your direct competition. Integrate best practices into your customer experience that can distinguish your service further from the competition and resonate well with customers.
Come back and ask the original question: Revisit your value proposition. Reevaluate and enhance your value proposition with the insights gained from adopting best practices and differentiate yourself in the market. This refinement should translate into a better customer experience, encouraging repeat visits and fostering loyalty.
By executing this 6-step process, you establish a compelling reason for customers to keep choosing your services, securing the cherished response from customers: "I’ll be back!"
💎 3 CX Gems
Track return customer behavior: Beyond customer feedback and ratings, monitor and understand the return patterns of your customers. The true test of a great customer experience is whether customers actually come back, how frequently they return, and if their purchasing behavior increases over time. This behavior-centric metric is a tangible indicator of customer loyalty and the health of your business relationships.
Consistency is king: Deliver consistently exceptional service that customers can rely on, every time they interact with your brand.
Personalized experiences: Go beyond generic service by personalizing interactions to show customers they are valued and understood as individuals. Ensure that your company maintains a personal touch, recognizing that automation cannot replace the nuanced care of human interaction.
I'll Be Back equips leaders with the insights needed to not just chase new customers but to keep them coming back. Hyken’s guidance is clear: if you want to thrive in today's economy, create customer experiences that resonate deeply, turning satisfaction into loyalty and transactions into lasting relationships.