Being in the Pacific Northwest, the news is overwhelmed by the Super Bowl Champion, Seattle Seahawks. In addition to their outstanding top-rated defense (again proving the wisdom of the phrase, "Offense sells tickets but Defense wins championships), the players and coaches of the Seattle Seahawks credited their fans, whose record-setting audio interference from their loud cheering contributed to the season of victories.
In a stroke of masterful customer engagement, the Seattle Seahawks organization has branded the collective fan base as "The 12th Man", implying that success can be credited to the ticket-paying or television-watching fan.
Extreme customer engagement makes the customer feel as if they are not only the consumer of the organization's goods and services, they are an essential part of its success. This is not unique to professional sports. The musical group, the Grateful Dead, had a following of "Deadheads", in spite of having very little radio play during decades of recording and touring.
The success of extreme customer engagement is a "game-changer", which converts the customer from a demanding adversary to a collaborative participant and partner.
Since Quality is about Customer delight and excitement, elements of Quality should be oriented towards the establishment of a loyal and devoted customer culture. The enthusiasm and conviction generated by the customer base needs to be cultivated and recognized.
Steve Jobs captured this brilliantly with his branding of potential Apple customers as the "Crazy Ones". This set apart Apple users as defiant, nonconformist, and demanding.
It is not enough to please the customer; they must be motivated and inspired and brought along for the journey to partake and celebrate as your organization reaches new heights. Whether branded as the 12th Man, Deadheads, The Crazy Ones, or some other catchy title, the Voice of the Customer must be ever-present and everlasting in order to attain success.
The concept of Voice of the Customer (VoC) extends beyond mere feedback; it's about creating a deeply engaged community integral to success. The Seattle Seahawks' "12th Man" exemplifies this, where fans are pivotal to victories through their fervent support. Similarly, the Grateful Dead's "Deadheads" and Apple's "Crazy Ones" illustrate how passionate customer engagement transforms them into collaborative partners. This approach isn't just about satisfaction; it's about inspiring loyalty and enthusiasm, crucial for sustained organizational success and growth in any industry.
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