The moment of truth is a concept which refers to a moment of interacting with a customer that can change or form an opinion about our products or services. Whilst you may have many interaction points along a customer journey, not all of them will significantly impact your success. Therefore, you need to create your own personal moment of truth in which to leave a favourable impression.
A moment of truth example
Today we’re going to be discussing the moment of truth, and in particular during the sales process. Do you know when exactly in your sales process you actually change the perspective of a prospect? If you’re able to carry out a competitor analysis, can you determine how long it takes your competitors to respond to a new enquiry? How long does it take to make that lasting impression?
Why do moments of truth matter?
Quite simply, if you understand your moments of truth, you’ll recognise opportunities to improve your customers experiences and working relationships with your business. Not only does this help to give you more of a competitive advantage in the market, but it should also translate into a greater number of repeat customers. Identifying your own personal moments of truth and acting upon them should be a priority in building lifetime client value.
Challenge yourself
Think about how you and your team communicate with both prospects and customers. Do you always adopt the same tired approach regardless of the size and nature of a customer? Could your customers honestly say that you always go the extra mile or provide a truly personal touch to your service?
Do you always keep your promises towards your client? Do you keep them informed of progress even when there may be little to update them with? If you say you’ll get back to them within 24 hours, can they be absolutely certain that you’ll keep to your word?
Doing what we say we will do and also doing it with the timeframe given are massive moments of truth for any business. These are the points along the interactive journey which really matter. Loyalty, trust, respect and total customer satisfaction are built upon these.
Now that we’ve emphasised the importance of moments of truth, you need to go back to basics and identify where exactly you need to improve your service. Is there a point in the sales process where the chain of great communication breaks down and customers are left hanging, waiting for your call?
Whether you’re trying to change a suspect into a prospect, or a customer into an advocate or raving fan, the principle is exactly the same. Analyse the areas of weakness within all customer journeys. Put yourself in the shoes of these suspects, prospects and customers. Are they really receiving the best service your company is able to offer?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper into the concept of moment of truth and need tailor made help or advice, our team would love to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch.
