Common Sense Versus Customer Experience (CX)

As a researcher and professional working in disciplines such as user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), and service design (SD), among other areas, and also as a user or consumer of products and services, I can't help but keep a record of notable experiences, in one sense or another.

The scarcity of common sense

They say common sense is the least common of all senses. If so, let me tell you that in UX, CX, SD, and other rare areas, common sense is a scarce ingredient.

In recent years, we have witnessed, both in Chile and at a regional and global level, a boom in trends, best practices, methodologies, tools, and instruments to improve the evaluation and quality of user experience (UX) and customer experience (CX).

Companies are implementing specific measures or clearly adopting a customer-oriented business vision, designing service experiences (SD, for "service design") centered on the customer.

As I was saying, I am constantly connected to these disciplines and keep a record of memorable experiences and others.

And, unfortunately, when one looks at what is really happening to us day by day, it is impossible not to make a trivial observation: the lack of common sense ruins everything.

Now I share with you some of the cases I have recorded in my field notes notebook:

Case 1: Person goes to the supermarket to buy cheese

I don't know if you like sliced cheese or have any special preference, but I usually buy mozzarella or goat cheese, and I love it when it comes in slices.

Something absolutely systematic: every time I go to buy mozzarella at the express supermarket near my house and ask them to slice it, they tell me no. That it's not possible.

"Why?" I ask. As a child, I was taught that "why" is the question intelligent people ask, and as an adult, I was instilled that it is the researcher's favorite.

They answer, "We don't slice." That is, it's not possible, the manager didn't send them a note saying that cheese could also be sliced and not just ham.
Consequently, the cheese is only cut into a large piece: if you like it, all good; if not, goodbye.

Once I witnessed a customer complaint who wanted ham with a certain type of slicing. He had to ask for the manager to arrive for them to do him "the favor."

Since the life of a cheese lover can't be that bad, I tell you that at Mercado Providencia, in the cheese shop, the kind gentlemen who serve you ask how you want your cheese.

So, does a neighborhood store have a better slicing machine than a supermarket chain? I bet these gentlemen don't have incentives or performance bonuses. Maybe they don't even have a Christmas bonus or "world class" training programs (another strange term) to give them a "service attitude."

Case 2: Person does not understand why they are charged for a Roaming service

Careful, it's not a joke. I call the telecommunications company and explain that I really don't know anyone in Nigeria and haven't made calls to that country while I was in Europe some time ago.

I file a complaint. They inform me that they will call me back in x days to provide an answer. They never call me.

I call again, and nothing happens. The executive tells me that the expense was indeed made and that if I don't like the solution (what solution?), I should complain to the Superintendence of Telecommunications (SUBTEL).

I get angry and, full of hope that a thinking being will solve my problem, I go to the branch where they tell me the same thing, that the only alternative is to complain to SUBTEL.

I take the trouble to register with SUBTEL, send a complaint, and in a few days, they call me to apologize. In addition, they give me a credit for the total amount in question and give me $35,000.

Why? Because I took the trouble to complain through all the channels I had available.

Case 3: Entrepreneur goes to cash a bank draft

In 2015, I remember spending a full afternoon between the bank branch and the notary's office to register as a legal representative. That is, to give myself a power of attorney (yes, yes, to myself!).

And it was all to go get the bank draft and then deposit it in the other bank where my company's current account is.

Leaving aside that the bank draft already seemed quite obsolete to me in 2015, in truth, you have no choice but to do the paperwork.

Now, in November 2016, I find out that the power expired and, therefore, I have to spend another afternoon at the notary's office to register again.

Calculate what it means for an entrepreneur to be one or two hours in the notary's queue. Plus travel time, plus time in bank 1's queue and, then, bank 2's, where they asked me to present a certificate from the Property Registrar again.

I suppose it's not a legal issue, and if it were, no one said that laws are necessarily made from common sense or simplicity. I say this because in other banks, I registered as a legal representative only once, and from there, I didn't have to renew anything.

In addition, in some financial institutions, although they have asked me for a copy of my identity document and to fill out a form, they have not required me to register with a notary.

Reflections

From the customer's perspective, some situations, like the first one, have a solution: buying sliced cheese (and delicious too!) at the market instead of the supermarket.

Others have partial solutions: number portability from one telecommunications company to another.

However, some contexts – the bank, for example – force you to be another mouse in the system pedaling to overcome the situation while you tweet your anger.

Well, at least I have the tools to solve the problem. And what about the citizen who has fewer tools / time / knowledge / patience?

Now, from a professional perspective, in a world where everyone talks about innovation, migration of traditional channel services to digital, omnichannel, service design, customer experience, user experience (add all the trendy vocabulary and disciplines, methodologies, or tools here), I think the lack of common sense is a symptom of a society that needs to change its perspective as soon as possible.

The good news is that there is a lot of work to be done. The bad news is that it is disconcerting to see how far we are from a society that is kind to consumers and citizens.

Have you also observed these types of experiences that go against common sense? Tell me what you think.

Keep reading

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• Usability and UX in "lean times"
• Return on investment in user experience (UX)