I think most of us have kind of realized in the back of our minds that we are not alone in this world. It seems like the evidence these days is becoming so overwhelming that it’s almost impossible to refute at this point. The worst part about it is that it is very hard to tell the humans from the aliens. They look the same, talk the same and even eat the same types of food we do. In fact, the only way you can tell us apart is to put them into a buying situation and then their true colors come out (little green people) Yup! They are the alien customers that have been invading K & B Dealers.
Just the other day I overheard two designers talking and they both had encounters with alien customers who apparently are more demanding than regular customers. They also mentioned that their numbers were growing and they didn’t see any signs of this phenomenon slowing down.
So, you want to know the craziest part of this story? We are all alien customers who are expecting more these days. Why? Because people are getting tagged all the time with new and improved touchpoints. For those who may not be familiar with the word “touchpoint,” it’s any interaction with customers whether in-person, email, a card, etc. This also includes Brand to consumer touchpoints i.e. The customers name on a sign when entering a showroom, flowers, a bag of tasty chocolates…mmmm….(Note to self, never discuss the wonderful world of chocolate when writing a blog. It causes instant distraction coupled with a visit to the hidden vault behind the wall that holds bags and bags of…..see, I digress. It also takes me twice as long to do the blog… 
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Okay, I’m back … here is the thing, your customers aren’t just judging their experience against your competitors but against ALL the companies they do business with. Those experiences that are outside our industry seem to be getting better at a rate that is faster than ours. Let’s face it, the Kitchen and Bath Industry has sometimes been referred to as “archaic”, and not just by me So let’s take a step back and assess the current landscape and see what we see.
Observations:
- Customers are not really aliens. But you and me…?
- Customers’ expectations are going to continue to grow when it comes to their personal experiences during their buying journeys. No use in crying about spilled milk, that’s how it’s going to be.
- Kitchen and Bath Dealers are currently slow to embrace change.
- It’s wide open for someone to take themselves and their team into a leadership position in our industry.
Change is a group effort so everyone on your team will need to be engaged. It’s not in our blood to move quickly so it’s going to be time to get a transfusion of some good ole “Energizer Bunny Juice” guaranteed to knock the cobwebs out of the gears…yeehaw!
That’s it for Part 1 of this 3-part blog series. Joining us next week for Part II “A Phenomenon called TOE or Transference of Expectations.” 
Thanks so much for taking the time to peruse this and as always, I would love to hear your feedback!
In the meantime, check out our KABS Demo if you get the chance. Please keep in mind, the software was developed as a tool to help Dealer’s deliver an improved customer experience more efficiently and the reporting capability to let you see how well you are doing.
P.S. Dis blog weren’t writ bye no stinkin AI Chatterbox
Happy Easter!
