It struck me that, as these players – the very best in the world, making millions of dollars each year – work back into playing shape, it’s the simple things that they focus on. Each day you see them stretching, then lobbing the ball back and forth. They hit off a tee, then start swinging at softly pitched balls. It’s the stuff of little boys, and yet it’s for a very specific purpose. They understand that – even if you are one of the elite – you can’t walk into a real game situation and expect to hit a 90 mph slider, or throw a ball from deep left field to homeplate. Instead you start with the basics and work up to a high performance level.

So, I’m wondering, why do companies, when trying to improve performance (specifically around customer metrics), often over reach, spending thousands – even millions – on quick-fix solutions like CRM systems or training programs. Why not, instead, start with the little things. For instance, take some small steps aimed at improving employee engagement. Then incrementally increase the efforts to improve customer experience as you get your employees on board.

Major league players understand that trying to hit a home run in your first at bat of spring training will probably just lead to a pulled muscle and a stay on the disabled list. Businesses should realize the same thing.

Small things matter. And if they’re done right, the small things lead to big things.

What I think businesses are starting to understand is that it really doesn’t matter what type of company you have: if you want to succeed in the long term, you better pay attention to the entire customer experience. What I wrote in my book, “All Customers Are Irrational,” holds true for everyone: all decisions are emotional, including purchase decisions. And that doesn’t change whether someone is looking at buying some new running shoes, or deciding which agency to select during an RFP process.

What about your business? Do you really know what type of experience you’re providing for your customers or clients? Are you giving them the subconscious and emotional reasons (as well as the logical) for buying from (or staying with) your company?

If not, others are catching on, so you better start paying attention!

Retailers everywhere – from the big boxes to the corner mom and pop store – universally struggle to deliver a consistent experience that meets or exceeds the customers’ expectations. Yet I would argue that the little town at the end of the mighty Mississippi delivers just that to visitors. Despite dishing up a smorgasbord of services – from high-end cuisine, to loud, live music and tankards of cheap hurricanes (the drink not the weather phenonenom), to certain pay-to-play activities I won’t mention here – the city that almost drowned manages to do it in a consistent spirit and energy, leaving almost all its visitors happy and wanting more. Though one must leave after a few days to catch one’s breath, most will become repeat customers.

And isn’t customer retention the name of the game?

Yes, the city has challenges: Katrina struck a huge blow, the government is rarely in full working order, and there’s a might socio-economic disparity among locals.

So, why does it work? Why do people swear by this city? I think it’s about spirit, not mechanics. It’s not scripted, it’s not “Disney-fied.” For the most part, it’s still authentic. And people can taste that – not just in the food, and the drink, but in every aspect of the experience.

So what’s your “spirit?” If you don’t know, and if all you have are scripts and processes, you may be in trouble. Take a trip south and do some field work. Walk down Bourbon and then branch off. There’s something to learn down there.

Though it was 4:00 in the afternoon and less than half full, they put us at a tight table next to the kitchen. Curious, but we tried to overlook it, and just wandered over to another empty table. I noticed that everything the waitress said to us was perfectly civil, but both my friend and I perceived a barely concealed hostility. We went out of our way to be ready to order our sandwiches, and to politely say please and thank you (that’s just how we are). Yet at each interaction the waitress (who never introduced herself so I can’t give you her name) would say something like “great” or “sure” and then roll her eyes.

Not sure if this is an object lesson or I just wanted to get it off my chest. What we preach to clients is that everything matters – not just the words you use, but how you say things. Attitude is everything. And that means who you hire will determine what your customers think about you, not processes or scripts.

When you think about it, it’s abeautiful plan: you wander on at your leisure; the airline throws a tag on you bag and it’s last into the plane’s belly (which means first out); and with most commuter flights, you simply wait a moments upon deplaning in the jetway, obtain your bag, and stroll away…all without paying an extra cent!

Well, apparently the airlines are on to my plan, since it seems it wasn’t just my plan. But given the growing frustration of harried travelers (and flight attendants), there’s got to be a better way. Surely the different airlines have the ability to look at this from the customer’s perspective, but the cost pressures override other considerations.

As for me, whether I have excess baggage or not, I check Southwest first. It’s the principle of the thing.

But as you think for a minute about your customer processes, here’s the question you must ask yourself:

“Are our processes designed to empower good employees, or to control the damage of bad employees?”

Great customer service companies have processes. But, as a rule, those are typically designed to help their employees exceed customer expectations. They provide options and flexibility, they let  great employees be great.

So take a look at your customer interactions. If it’s possible for employees to use processes as a crutch (”I’m sorry, sir. Our system doesn’t allow us to do that), you’re probably not a great customer service company.

1. Is It Integrated? - A CRM strategy that sits on its own shelf is destined to fail. Unless you can weave the elements of the strategy into your business plan, through the operations and budgets of your various business units, don’t bother. Silos suck, but you need to figure out ways to latch them together for the benefit of your customers. Integrate or die!

2. Is It Engaging? - Without employees who actually “get it,” and give a damn, you’re CRM strategy is so much dust in the wind. Employees will see the value in the mission, and figure out ways (on their own) to deliver the brand promise, or they won’t. And if the brand promise and CRM strategy aren’t compelling, you’re done before you started.

3. Is It Incremental? - Another reason employees often don’t embrace real change like a customer initiative is that is smells like the “flavor of the month,” especially when it’s touted as “The Year of the Customer” or “Corporate Paradigm Shift” or other such tripe. You need to prove it’s real. To make it feasible and not some sort of pipe dream, the plan for improvements must be incremental. Any large company can’t turn the boat on a dime. Accept it. As you stay focused and win small victories, you build credibility, and you win advocates.

4. Is It Measurable? - “That which gets measured gets done.” It’s now a cliche but it’s also true. Build discipline around customer behavior and results. Why wouldn’t you? Retention, cross-sales, referrals, average revenue per customer, customer lifetime value. They are the key to growth and profitability. And beware satisfaction measurements. Often they don’t translate to bottom-line results.

So go forth and make your company a better place for your customers. They’ll reward you for it!

Enjoy, and we’ll see you in 2010!!

They’re missing the point.

Put simply: if you’re a business owner, customer experience is not an optional issue. It exists. For better or worse, you have a “customer experience.” It doesn’t matter what type of business, what type of industry – retail, professional services, financial, online, etc. If you have customers, you have a customer experience. Ignoring it doesn’t change the fact that you’re customers are either enjoying or suffering through it. It doesn’t change the fact that the nature of your experience is creating a customer perception, and consequently a behavior (buy, don’t buy, stay, leave, refer, complain).

By ignoring the quality of your customer experience, you will suffer the consequences. And guess what? Those consequences reflect directly on generating revenue, and “moving product.”

So ignore customer experience at your peril. But at least do it with your eyes open. In this case, ignorance ain’t bliss.