We don't just shop or join-we experience. No, make that EXPERIENCE. We are students in Liberty University Online and we EXPERIENCE a relationship with the university. We eat at Chick-fil-A and experience dining and all the feelings (satisfaction, anticipation, etc.) that goes with it. We go to Biltmore Baptist Church and EXPERIENCE what it means to worship God as a particular member of a specific church community at a specific time in both the life of the Biltmore church and our personal life.
EXPERIENCE. It makes all the difference, and organizations are finally getting it. We experience organizations. We 'fit' with a certain organization at a certain time in a certain place. And that 'fit' is determined by the EXPERIENCE shaped by multiple contacts at a variety of 'touchpoints' where consumer meets organization. The cashier at the grocery store-is she paying attention to you, the customer, or on the cell with a girlfriend? The usher at church-is he smiling and holding open the door, or grunting and turning away? An organization's web page-easy to use, or difficult to navigate and impenetrable in effect? Everything counts when we're dealing with others.
Chick-fil-A founder Truett S. Cathy realized this and decided he would set an example for his employees by showing every customer how genuinely appreciative he was that customers would select Chick-fil-A over all the other choices out there. He conveyed that serving them was sincerely a pleasure by replying to every "thank you" with a "my pleasure." Truett believed that all people should be treated with honor, dignity, and respect no matter who they are, what they do, where they comfe from, or where they choose to eat. It didn't take long before the customer stories began to spread. Nowadays, our brand benefits by the speed with which such positive comments travels on the Internet.
In the organizations you're involved with, what kind of transforming experience would you like to provide? Discuss how providing value for customers (or members, donors, patrons, etc.) will increase the value of the organization.
Also: Now that you're taking this course, you understand the need for all persons associated with an organization to provide a uniformly positive experience, but that's not always easy. The store associate may be naturally 'growly,' a worshiper who doesn't bother to read signs pointing to the restrooms may be an annoyance, and some people you just don't feel like thanking. So, how will you get others in the organization to provide that transforming experience for customers?
Discuss not only how and what you may try to achieve in an organization (Old Navy) that you're part of, but how you can get others within the organization involved in providing that transforming iDirect experience.
Must be 450 words, and include 3 sources.