The no.1 most important aspect of customer experience: Deliver!

When I’m talking with people about what we mean by a ‘customer experience mindset’ they get very enthused about improving touch points and forget the most important aspect of any customer experience.  Deliver.  I didn’t spend my time, effort and hard earned cash with you just to have a great experience with your sales assistant, call centre order taker or your on-line shop.  I want your product, delivered on time and giving me what I expect.  I don’t think I’m unusual in this of course!

My seven sources of disappointment are:

1. It didn’t arrive:  When you order a walnut tree it’s not the sort of thing that is likely to go missing.  When mine didn’t arrive as expected I made a call and was told that the system said it had been delivered to my address, on time.  After searching everywhere anyone might put a tree; including asking all my neighbours, I had to conclude that I didn’t have a walnut tree.  The parcel carrier made extravagant claims about my delivery which didn’t change the fact that I had no tree.  Once this was established there was no hesitation in offering me another tree from the nursery.  Great.  But it couldn’t be delivered for 12 months! I’d missed the tree planting season.
2. It’s not what I ordered:  My seafood pizza arrives with a great flourish. It looks brilliant, but I ordered seafood pasta.  Sending it back would mean a long wait while they change the order and my dinner companions will have finished their meal by the time it arrives.  So I accept the apology and eat pizza.
3. It doesn’t work:  Imagine my excitement at the delivery of a new lawn mower.  Followed by the disappointment of returning it because it failed to start. Exacerbated by the backache from having to cut the grass with shears.
4. It doesn’t do what I believed it would (or not as well as I hoped):  I’m a little embarrassed to say that the ‘Ab Master 3000’ has not delivered the six pack as modelled on the shopping channel. (Though , on reflection this may not be the fault of the product).
5. Unexpected surprises:   ‘You didn’t mention the add-ons’.  ‘We thought everyone would know that you also need to buy the stand, otherwise, obviously sir, it will fall over.’
6. It needs lots of work to get it going:  Never buy a Lego castle.  The toy looks amazing in the picture on the box, which also helpfully states that an adult may be needed to assist your child build it.  My small boy lost interest after five minutes; it took me nearly six hours hard toil to make the thousand bricks look something like.  It didn’t help that members of my family (including my junior helper) constantly interrupted asking ’Is it finished yet!’
7. Not good value:   The sense that you have been ripped off doesn’t incline you towards buying again from this supplier or recommending them to your friends or family.

Once you can assure me you can avoid all the above, then give me a great experience.