Concept and creation of customer experience

I asked the interviewees to explain in their own words what is customer experience and how important do they feel it is in their bank. Everyone had their own explanation of the meaning customer experience, yet the emphasis was on the feeling that the customer get. The answers all had elements of the theory of customer experience Figure 1. (Gentile et al 2017). All interviewees said that customer experience is very important in their bank.

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The customer has a feeling that everything went well and all wishes got fulfilled. This is what it is about”(P6)

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They were also asked what elements have influence on the creation of customer experience, what does the bank can control and what not. Also, it was interesting to hear how do the interviewees themselves influence on the creation of customer experience in their work. Mentioned factors were employee characteristics and skills, customer’s attitudes, accessibility, technology and facilities. Most of them conform with the theoretical framework (figure 7.)

5.2.1 Employee characteristics and skills

Employees themselves were mentioned to be one of the main thing in the creation of customer experience. Their character and skills are in an important role of creating good customer experience. Getting to know the customer, listening, understanding and making the encounter beneficial for the customer are crucial parts of creating good customer experience.

“ We measure the benefits and the feeling that the customer gets and in a way it is true that with your persona you sell the feeling to the customer and with your

professional skill you make it beneficial for the customer. If you cannot do them both, then I think the encounter is useless” (P5)

“That we actually listen to the customer and want to do right decision for the customer and do them well. What I did not mention before is that if we are presence in the meeting and we are friendly it is only on part of the customer experience. If we talk about benefits and what does the customer actually benefit from the encounter, in a bigger role might be that we have the knowledge and know how to take the meeting and the customers’ problem into a contract.” (P2)

5.2.3 Customers’ attitudes

One factor in the creation of customer experience that popped out in the interviews was customer’s attitude and expectations. The bank tries always to exceed customer expectation and understand customer’s attitude. These two were factors that cannot be controlled per se, but can be influenced on in the early stage of the customer

experience. Social media has added the voice of a customer and nowadays is a considerable platform for banks to somehow try and participate in.

“ Customers’ attitudes are something that cannot be influenced and in my opinion customer experience about these new cards has been pretty feisty, they feel like they have been somehow demeaned. There should have been more responsibility on the service personnel to go through more in detail, maybe even in teams.”(P5)

“And then this exceeding the expectations. What did the customer expected and were we able to somehow exceed these expectations, because opinions and experiences of friends affect as well as the overall opinion of the bank itself”(P4)

“We can influence on almost everything. But the writing in social media and common opinion there is hard to affect. Usually customers right that ‘this and this happened to my friend’ and it is really hard for the bank to comment on it and we avoid public opinions in general. But we can influence in early stages of the customer experience, before it is in the social media.” (P4)

5.2.4 Accessibility

The one thing that almost all interviewees emphasized was the importance of accessibility. This is a factor a bank can control. Customers should get a hold of the personnel when needed and this is something the bank has improved greatly to create better customer service.

“Personal accessibility, if the customers cannot contact us straight away, it can be really critical. That is something that we have gotten feedback from on the way.” (P3)

“What really gives that positive feeling and that wow-effect now is accessibility. We have done better and we have succeeded in being more reachable for the customers.

During this year or during this spring and summer we have communicated that we all have phone number in our website and we have given out our contact details courageously.” (P2)

5.2.5 Technology

Technology was also considered to be one the major factors that cannot be controlled in every situation, yet it has major impact on the overall customer experience of the bank. If the phone service or customer’s bank card is not working, it will immediately cause a fuss, that is really hard for bank to try and control and explain to the

customers that ultimately that is something that is not directly in hands of the bank.

“Technology in the background is quite critical. Let’s say if we have problems in our phone services, it will immediately effects on our accessibility. It is unnecessary to say

to a customer that we are reachable and you can call my direct number if the number does not work.” (P2)

”Maybe the card situation could have been handled more efficiently, it is the system that makes it more or less stiff. We were not able to answer the massive amount of phone calls from the customers asking about the cards. That is a big that affected the customer experience and banks were not able control it.”(P5)

5.2.6 Facilities

Facilities were mentioned to be one the first things that have an impact on the creation of customer experience e.g. branch environment, overall vibe, cleanliness and

privacy. Facilities are the first thing the customer sees when entering the bank, first impression is crucial.

“Firstly, people come inside here so the environment, how they are greeted and what sort of premises we have here. We can close the door here and we do not have any disturbance when we are with our customers, because we all have our own

rooms.”(P6)

“Our premises and how we greet our customers as well as how we have been prepared for the meeting.” (P5)

”Every encounter and cleanliness.”(P4)