Why is customer satisfaction so important?

Because it IS.

Within the realms of customer satisfaction, which is a very wide scope to begin with, a company typically uses information that is a core component of the marketing research system. Some of the measurements include customer loyalty, loyalty strength, trend information, signal problem areas, phone surveys, or online surveys. But what is often most important are the open ended questions that are asked of customers. The answers that are provided can provide some of the most insightful information for strategy building.

What the company often wants to know is why the customer chooses brand A over brand B or the significant message that will resonate within the ears of your customers.  Is it because they have a superior product? Or could it be that customer service is the crucial strategic method of gaining and maintaining your customers?   

There are certain aspects within the business world that every company should be aware of and it is not the bottom line, it is the reliance upon their customers. Happy customers tell their friends, their family, and their coworkers of this amazing new product or service because they want to share a good thing. Word of mouth advertising is one of the most valuable ways to promote a product. But I digress.

Bread, Chocolate, a dress, and Ida Jean

So, I am a victim of nominal, moderate, and high involvement though processes.  On the way home the other day, I stopped by the food market to pick up a few items. As I walked through the store, I pick up the usual things including tea, a loaf of Wonder Bread, and 2 gallons of milk. This part of the trip to the store would be considered a nominal decision-making process. That means that I don't need to make big decisions surrounding the purchase and they are somewhat habitual purchases. Now this next step may not seem as large on paper as it was in real life, but trust me it sure was a big deal when I arrived home and my wife saw what I bought. It wasn't a new car, but it was indeed out of character and it did require a moderate amount of involvement within the decision-making process. Let me preface this by saying that my wife is pregnant and is due within the next 30 days. When I was waiting in line, I saw a dark chocolate candy bar (a brand in which was my wife's favorite but I had not seen for some time).  I admit that I picked it up and put it back a couple times because I know that my wife is worried about her weight, especially in her ‘condition.’ After setting the candy bar back in the display for the fourth time, I said what the heck.  I decided to purchase two of them for her, well both for me if she chose to reject them. I honestly did not know if I had done the right thing but decided to buy them for her anyway. Even on the way home, I tossed around in my mind if I should have bought them or if I should have just left them in their cozy display. For me, this falls into the moderate involvement purchase process because I really had to evaluate the situation. In the end, I did do the right thing because she was ecstatic over my thoughtfulness and the candy bars.  Although I admit that I ate the majority of the second one. 

Perhaps one of the most high involvement purchases that involved extended decision-making included clothing for my wife. This is our second child and she does have many daily wear clothes that are still in style and that she wore when she was pregnant with our first. But there was an honorary dinner for a close family friend which required both of us to dress in evening wear. I had my suit but my wife did not have a dress. So with our daughter in tow, we went shopping for a dress but the catch was that she was five months pregnant. After a long days shopping trip, seven stores, what seemed to be 57 try-ons, the purchase and return of an outfit, and a cranky three year old, my wife finally found a dress.  Yes, this was an incredibly high involvement purchase and a huge extended decision-making process but it also brings us around to customer satisfaction.

My wife is very shy as well as conservative within the style of clothing that she prefers. In our shopping we went to many boutiques and several department stores with no luck. We were walking back towards our car when she spotted a very small store located almost off of an alleyway. In any case, the store was difficult to find and without knowing where it was, anyone could have missed it. It was in the store that the sales lady, named Ida Jean, honestly and truly took an interest in finding my wife the perfect outfit. Ida Jean catered to me and my three-year-old daughter, as well as my wife. As my wife was trying on dresses, she prepared a most satisfying cup of coffee as well as providing snacks for my daughter. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to be at every turn. She was with my wife helping her into and out of the dresses, helped my wife feel at ease, but yet the next thing I knew she was entertaining my daughter and all without missing a beat.  Ida Jean was a star!

So let's analyze this. 

The relationship between value creation and customer satisfaction was apparent, at least with my high involvement purchase. The customer needs and the customer use situation can be defined as a dress for a formal dinner. The dress is the desired benefit. The creation of value (comprised of excellent customer service) was within the delivered benefits and the cost of purchase.  Combined, it equals a great overall experience with that particular store, future purchases from that store, as well as word of mouth advertising.  All in all, my wife was satisfied with the purchase, I was satisfied with the purchase, and my daughter was gently rocked to sleep in her stroller by Ida Jean, the sales lady. That is what I call customer service!

For that matter, my wife and I were so impressed with the service that our entire family received that we have written to the owner of the store commending Ida Jean on her excellent service.  We received a reply from the owner about a week ago (along with a 20% off coupon that my wife intends on using after the birth of our second child...hopefully soon...real soon).