What a Nepali sherpa taught me customer experience
The core of #customerexperience
This Monday I posted three pictures of me and my Nepali guide Pema. In the text I wrote that he showed me what #cx was really all about. Let me explain.
As I said, we planned a trekking in Nepal. Because I could hardly walk but still wanted to explore the Himalaya, we decided to book horseback trekkings.
So here’s what he taught me:
1️⃣ When we landed in Kathmandu, an unknown guy introduced himself as Pema Sherpa. In the lobby of the hotel, he asked some questions about our motives, physical conditions, experiences. He told where we were heading, what we could expect. The conversation was short but he gave us the confidence he knew what he was doing.
2️⃣ Next day we drove from Kathmandu to Langtang (north of Nepal) It was an unpaved road with rocks and gravel. Every now and then he let the driver stop the car, stepped out, instructed the driver and told us what to do (basically: sit still). He was focused yet caring, gave us bottles of water and snacks along the way.
3️⃣ During the first days, he told us how to sit on the horse, how to balance. Helped us to get on- and off the saddle. He even took my camera bag (too heavy to get a proper balance) and carried it all those days personally for he knew how important that gear was to me. He kept an eye on the both of us and kept communicating. We knew he wat present, had the skills and the experience.
4️⃣ He instructed his small team to make sure the tea-houses were well prepared when we entered the small villages. He even arranged a tent to sleep in when we couldn’t reach the desired destination. (was the best night ever by the way) and made pictures of us during the trekking (without telling us, see the photo)
5️⃣ When my horse (with me on his back) collapsed trough a wooden bridge, he instantly knew what to do, grabbed me by my waist, dragged me over the broken bridge to the other side, calmed me down then supported me to the next tea house where he ordered the right food and drinks to recover.
6️⃣ When we were in the hotel we could relax, and talked about our experiences in Langtang.
7️⃣ He kept in close contact with me on social media. Asking me how I was doing. We shared pictures, memories.
And there you have it; my 7 #cx steps
👉 Introduce yourself, be humble, ask questions. Don’t force yourself into someone’s life.
👉 Gain trust. Not by talking, but by acting. Be present, tell what you are gonna do or did.
👉 Help and guide. You are the glue between the customers motivation and execution
👉 Lead your team, be prepared, be open and flexible.
👉 When the shit hits the fan, solve (unseen) problems. Support, motivate and take your time to recover
👉 Relax, enjoy the experience together. Tell what you did, How you felt during difficult times show empathy and celebrate your achievements.
👉 Keep close contact with your customer. Not with reasons to sell, but because you genuine care.
Edo
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