I've Been Upsold - Customer Experience Management, Part 1

More often than not, I can resist the upsell, especially when I’m corralling two small children in an oh-so-breakable store like Williams-Sonoma. But not this time.
 
Experiential marketing won me over.
 
Armed with a bit of background research and a solid idea of what I wanted to spend, I walked into the store and asked for the specific make and model of our soon-to-be shiny new Nespresso machine for my husband’s birthday. I should have handed the associate my card and walked out.
 
Instead, I was approached from all sides—one associate who happened to be a grandmother with a secret stash of cookies to sugar my children while I shopped and a second associate, the manager (ok, John), who asked if I would like a cup of coffee to try out the machine. Of course I craved someone to fuel me with a cup of coffee while my children were being entertained with kitchenware.
 
As John was showing me the interworkings of the upsell—the “Plus” model—I was convinced that I only wanted the perfectly-constructed cup of coffee and would stick with my original choice. I didn’t need an automatic open and close lever or a milk frother. But then, out comes the Aeroccino. The milk swirled around in an almost-silent capsule and transformed into a velvety liquid pour, layering the drink perfectly.
 
How could I get a Nespresso machine without a milk frother? Or clear mugs? Or a couple of extra capsule flavors to try? The experience was immersive…and lovely.
 
By giving me an experience, John was able to tap into my senses and my emotions, immersing me into the buying process and convincing me that I needed the other elements to complete our at-home experience.
 
[He saw me coming from a mile away.]
 
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT
 
There are two schools of thought surrounding buying behavior—the consumer who processes information and the consumer who experiences information. While some people make rational purchase decisions, many more are motivated by emotions.
 
The information processor marketing approach concentrates on the utilitarian functionality, namely the features and benefits of a product or service. And while some consumers may start there in the buying process, many don’t end there.
 
It is the experience—a perception, feeling and mental models—that convinces a consumer to buy and remain brand loyal. Even framing purchase situations differently through branding and marketing communications alters the way someone looks at the brand. For example, instead of focusing on specific categories such as a haircut, highlights or shampoo + conditioner, widen the lens as a consumption experience, such as “a day at the salon.” For the business owner, this image ignites opportunities to involve and engage with the customer with various touchpoints, opening the door for increased sales potential. For the customer, this image creates a sense of immersion into the experience, broadening their desire for relaxation and full service beauty treatments, inviting heightened impulse buying for a richer experience.
 
Brand experiences are more than just associations; they are feelings, thoughts and behavioral responses generated by the experience. Think about Apple’s brand experience—from its packaging to the user interface and device functionality to communications and customer service interactions—Apple dips its users into a pleasure state, immersing them into experiences that heighten the sensual, intellectual and emotive states.
 
I’ll discuss the Brand Experience Scale in PART 2 of this post and show how small businesses can apply these customer experiences into their own brand.