Last Best Experiences: How Passionate Service Powers Customer Confidence

What does good customer service look like? In 2022, it can take a variety of different forms. For some, it might take place in person. For others, prompt online or phone contact is key. And many customers might expect a combination of all three. Whatever channel your customers choose, the most powerful customer service experiences go deeper—sharing in a customer’s passion and going above and beyond to make the situation better. When a company get this right, that’s how a last best experience is born.

For Bryce Gibson, Chief Business Officer at TTEC Digital, proactive customer support by one Indian Motorcycle dealership salvaged the 2021 riding season and helped him get back on his bike sooner than he expected. Let’s take a closer look at what made this customer experience stand out.

What Happened During Bryce’s Last Best Experience with Indian Motorcycle?

Last year, Bryce had an opportunity to go on the motorcycle cruise of a lifetime—riding along the gulf coast in Mississippi with a close friend. While the trip started off exactly as planned, Bryce hit a snag at the first lunch break on day one. After lunch, he came out to discover his motorcycle laying on its side. A closer investigation revealed the side stand had broken.

Bryce immediately began calling Indian Motorcycle dealerships and repair shops in the area to find out if anyone could get him in for a last-minute appointment. A dealership in New Orleans was able to help him out, and they had him bring in his bike for a more thorough check to decide which specific parts would need to be ordered to make the repair.

Unfortunately, the parts weren’t in stock, but the dealership went out of its way to contact Bryce’s local dealership in Minnesota to schedule the full repair, provide an exact list of the parts that were needed, and order the correct parts to arrive when he returned home.

Before he even arrived home, Indian Motorcycle called to let him know they had a lift reserved for his motorcycle and that they would provide updates on the parts in transit.

What Made This Experience Stand Out?

The best customer experiences consider the customer’s expectations and match their passion. In this case, it was clear that Indian Motorcycle understood Bryce’s passion for his motorcycle and, more importantly, understood the letdown he must have been feeling when he learned his bike would need repairs to get back on the road. At every touchpoint in his journey, Indian Motorcycle went above and beyond to predict Bryce’s concerns and address them proactively through regular communication.

As a result, Bryce didn’t feel like another number in a queue to receive motorcycle repairs. Instead, he knew Indian Motorcycle had his back, and that they were doing everything in their power to fix his bike quickly. As a resident in a state like Minnesota, where the riding season is shorter than most, speedy repair was essential to maximize the warm months that remained—and this extra effort made him feel confident Indian Motorcycle was doing everything they could to get him back on the road.

How Passionate Service Promotes Customer Confidence

Nothing annoys your customers more than feeling misunderstood. If you’ve ever been on the phone with an agent explaining your situation over and over again, you know this feeling well. So, what’s the best way to make a customer feel understood? Take the time to listen to their situation and establish a set of actionable steps that align with the customer’s perception of their needs and the situation’s urgency.

In an increasingly digital world, customer expectations for these types of encounters have risen. According to a Microsoft Global State of Customer Service report, 90% of respondents indicated customer service was a critical factor in their choice of, and loyalty to, a brand.

While multiple service channels and fast response times are part of a customer’s assessment of their customer service experience, the true secret to customer service satisfaction is much simpler than that. Ultimately, brands that are able to remedy their customers’ problems quickly and comprehensively will garner positive feedback and those who can’t—won’t. At the center of these sorts of comprehensive solutions sits data and visibility. Empowering customer service teams with both the 360-degree customer data and the communication channels to understand each customer’s unique circumstance and carry out the right solution is what separates mediocre experiences from the memorable interactions that become a customer’s last best experience.