Understanding Customer Expectations

by Jenny on October 4, 2024 Comments Off on Understanding Customer Expectations

Modern customers are highly informed, highly opinionated, and highly attuned to the world around them. As a result, there are high customer expectations when it comes to making purchases and interacting with brands.

On top of that, customers have expanded the scope of their expectations over the years. No longer is it just about traditional factors like fair pricing, quality goods, and prompt service. While those things are still expected, they’re also looking for personalized interactions, interconnected experiences, and unique value propositions that surprise and delight. What used to be competitive differentiators are now becoming standard operations, pushing the boundaries of what it takes for brands to stay relevant in an ever-changing world.

All things considered, it can feel like a tall order to meet (let alone exceed) such lofty customer expectations, and in some ways it is. But with a strategic approach and a customer-centric mindset, this is an attainable goal for any brand – regardless of its size or industry.

As with other strategic goals and objectives, it’s all about starting off on the right foot. It’s about building long-term plans on a solid foundation. With regards to customer expectations, that foundation is understanding. We need to fully understand what customers expect, clearly and in detail, before we can exceed those expectations.

This is where market research and customer feedback come into play. Rather than making decisions based on assumptions, hypotheses, or educated guesses, we gather up-to-date insights directly from target audience members. We bypass trial-and-error processes by focusing on specific topics that are relevant, actionable, and central to forward-thinking objectives. Ultimately, these insights are the foundation for strategy building and decision making. The better we understand customer expectations from the start, the better equipped we are to effectively and efficiently meet those expectations.

With that in mind, here are a few tips for leveraging market research and customer feedback to navigate the world of customer expectations.

Ask the right people the right questions at the right time.

This is a fundamental aspect of gathering actionable insights. Different people will have different expectations at different points along their journey. So, conducting a catch-all survey that asks everyone the same questions may not be the best approach.

Instead, consider segmenting your respondent groups based on customer persona attributes. Whether it’s their behavioral traits, lifestyle characteristics, or levels of experience with your brand (i.e., prospect, new customer, loyal customer, etc.), you will gain deeper insights by asking targeted questions based on who and where they are.

Identify the key factors that influence expectations.

While the primary focus is understanding customer expectations, the next level of insights center around the key factors of influence. How are customer expectations being shaped? Is it primarily your brand’s messaging? Or is it more about competitors, external environments, past experiences, and customer communities? By identifying when, where, and how customer expectations are being influenced, you will have added layers of context and a deeper understanding when making strategic decisions.

Look for “expectation vs reality” gaps.

Many brands gather customer satisfaction feedback and Net Promoter Scores, but those insights alone only address what is happening and tend to lack the why behind it. For insights to be truly actionable, we need to see the full picture – not just individual pieces of it.

When asking about customer expectations, you have opportunities to understand how your brand is performing in relation to those expectations. This helps uncover “expectation vs reality” gaps that may be impacting customer satisfaction, and you will be equipped to adjust where needed.

Be open and honest with your market research intentions.

This is high-level advice that applies regardless of the market research objectives. We often see brands reluctant to fully explain and outline why feedback is being gathered. It may be stated that the feedback matters, but many brands stop short of getting into detail.

This is a missed opportunity to strengthen engagement and increase response rates because customers want to have their voices heard. They want to feel part of the brand development process, and they want to know their input is making a difference. So, let customers in on the purpose and intent of your market research. Outline how and why understanding their expectations matters and convey some of the long-term benefits of their involvement.

Rather than just saying you value their feedback, explain what that means in real-world terms. Customers will appreciate the transparency and are usually more willing to participate.

Both customers and competitive environments are in a constant state of flux. To be relevant and stay relevant long-term, brands need a steady flow of actionable insights to guide decisions. This is especially true when it comes to customer expectations. The better you understand the what and why, the better equipped you are to determine how to deliver on those ever-changing customer expectations.

For nearly 40 years, we at MacKenzie have been empowering brands with the data-driven customer insights needed to thrive as markets change and consumers evolve. From high-level strategic guidance to ground-level tactical support, each market research project is built around your specific goals and objectives. Going beyond just the numbers, we equip teams with the knowledge and wisdom to stay ahead of the competitive curve.

If you’re looking to understand and exceed your customers’ expectations, we want to support your efforts! Give us a shout any time or visit our services page.

 

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Jenny

Jenny Dinnen is President of Sales and Marketing at MacKenzie Corporation. Driven to maximize customer's value and exceed expectations, Jenny carries a can-do attitude wherever she goes. She maintains open communication channels with both her clients and her staff to ensure all goals and objectives are being met in an expeditious manner. Jenny is a big-picture thinker who leads MacKenzie in developing strategies for growth while maintaining a focus on the core services that have made the company a success. Basically, when something needs to get done, go see Jenny. Before joining MacKenzie, Jenny worked at HD Supply as a Marketing Manager and Household Auto Finance in their marketing department. Jenny received her undergrad degree in Marketing from the University of Colorado (Boulder) and her MBA from the University of Redlands.

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