The Important Difference Between Customer Service and Experience

Several weeks ago I wrote this facebook post detailing a rather unpleasant customer service encounter. It got me thinking, do you know the difference between customer service and customer experience? If so how are you implementing it within your fashion brand?

Customer Service

The assistance, interaction and advice given to your customer throughout a range of circumstances and situations. How you look after and nurture your customer before, during and after their requirements have been met. This is one area of the bigger picture but as a business we aim for high quality, helpful and professional standards. Handling returns, complaints or dissatisfied experiences will establish the human element of your brand and the voice in which you respond to your audience.

Skills inclusive of patience, strong product knowledge and strength of purpose are all integral when fulfilling this role. Ensure your brand is easy to contact, make the experience as painless as possible for your customer. A disgruntled individual will only multiply their negative emotions if sent on a wild goose-chase to speak to someone in order to resolve any issue or question they may have. A potential customer may be lost or put off a purchase or repeat business by poor service.

What customer service have you experienced both good and bad? Assess the reasons behind these experiences and apply them to your own business. Have a clear image for the brand you wish to portray and operate with integrity.

Customer Experience

Also known as CX. This is the bigger picture of your customer’s journey and interaction with your brand in which customer service is merely a single piece of the puzzle. Consider your customer service, quality of your product, marketing, brand aesthetic, website user interface (i.e. is it easy to navigate?). All of these touch points and more combine and accumulate into your customer experience.

The key difference between the two is that customer service is limited to your interaction whilst the customer experience encompasses your brand image and relationships as a whole. Both are integral to the successful operation of a company and go hand in hand. Understanding both and the effect they have on your business growth can involve analysing data and assessing areas for change. If you would like a further insight into growing your brand through data analysis take a look at my previous post: 3 Tips for Scaling Your Fashion Brand.