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Good customer experience matters. People remember how they were treated and they will be more loyal to a company that goes the extra mile to give them what the

Good customer experience matters. People remember how they were treated and they will be more loyal to a company that goes the extra mile to give them what they need. Years ago when I worked at Amazon, leaders made customer experience a priority and empowered us to do what was needed to ensure a good customer experience even if would cost the company more. I am not sure if things are the same there now, but it taught me a lot about how a company's relationship with its customers matters for the company's long-term growth and customer loyalty. The enshittification trends we see today are the opposite. Companies are all to happy to make quick profits by choosing to put what is best for the company ahead of the customer experience. Customer data is sold and shared. Ads are cramed into every possible space. Customers are opted in to onerous legal agreements and forced arbitration. Dark patterns abound. Customers notice. Customers remember. And when the circumstances are right they will drop such companies and watch them burn with pleasure. The golden rule still holds and no company is "too big to fail".

Manfred 2y ago
All these things matter when you try to build an enduring company instead of the embrace, squeeze, and run strategy. I don't think that happens a lot any more, if we are lucky one company might keep its course for 20 years and then it gets sold or the founder moves on.
Swizec 2y ago
I once took a hard look at our user surveys. As a software engineer I’m not really expected to care. All our happiest customers talked about the service experience. All our grumpiest customers talk about the service experience. None of our users gave two shits about the software. All they cared about was did we solve their problem on that day when they needed us. That’s when I realized we’re a software-enabled service company. It changed how I prioritize things.
- creer 2y ago
  Funny you mention surveys! Businesses have been sending me surveys which are far worse than the service experience was itself. This is not a good move: the service was fine but the survey itself was a truly bad experience both in broad lines and detail. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!
wrs 2y ago
I just had an Amazon package stolen from my porch with $500 of items in it that I needed quickly. I reordered everything for delivery next day, and started a chat in the app. The only thing they wanted to know was if I wanted the refund on my credit card or as a gift balance. (I’ve been an Amazon customer since 1997, so that might factor in.) But on the other hand, the quality of the actual product catalog is now abysmal. Way too many clones of Ali Express items with literally random brand names and scam listings. I still sort of trust “Sold by Amazon” listings, but they’re making it harder to filter on that. So in this area the accounting department is clearly outranking the customer experience department.
- creer 2y ago
  Re. product quality: And yet the service still makes a difference - or the entire difference perhaps. Recently two items were botched by Aliexpress for me. Talking to the vendors, the shippers and then Aliexpress was absurdly horrible. These were not expensive products but all of them fought every step of the way to deliver the shittiest experience possible (irrelevant of the products themselves). And 6 months later I still don't have functional parts. It was entirely up to Aliexpress to lose my business and they did with gusto. Amazon probably sells the same item, just for more money, but they were reinforced as the right balance of price and assurance that I will end up with the item reasonably fast and low-hassle.

Manfred 2y ago

All these things matter when you try to build an enduring company instead of the embrace, squeeze, and run strategy. I don't think that happens a lot any more, if we are lucky one company might keep its course for 20 years and then it gets sold or the founder moves on.

Swizec 2y ago

I once took a hard look at our user surveys. As a software engineer I’m not really expected to care. All our happiest customers talked about the service experience. All our grumpiest customers talk about the service experience. None of our users gave two shits about the software. All they cared about was did we solve their problem on that day when they needed us. That’s when I realized we’re a software-enabled service company. It changed how I prioritize things.

creer 2y ago
Funny you mention surveys! Businesses have been sending me surveys which are far worse than the service experience was itself. This is not a good move: the service was fine but the survey itself was a truly bad experience both in broad lines and detail. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

wrs 2y ago

I just had an Amazon package stolen from my porch with $500 of items in it that I needed quickly. I reordered everything for delivery next day, and started a chat in the app. The only thing they wanted to know was if I wanted the refund on my credit card or as a gift balance. (I’ve been an Amazon customer since 1997, so that might factor in.) But on the other hand, the quality of the actual product catalog is now abysmal. Way too many clones of Ali Express items with literally random brand names and scam listings. I still sort of trust “Sold by Amazon” listings, but they’re making it harder to filter on that. So in this area the accounting department is clearly outranking the customer experience department.

creer 2y ago
Re. product quality: And yet the service still makes a difference - or the entire difference perhaps. Recently two items were botched by Aliexpress for me. Talking to the vendors, the shippers and then Aliexpress was absurdly horrible. These were not expensive products but all of them fought every step of the way to deliver the shittiest experience possible (irrelevant of the products themselves). And 6 months later I still don't have functional parts. It was entirely up to Aliexpress to lose my business and they did with gusto. Amazon probably sells the same item, just for more money, but they were reinforced as the right balance of price and assurance that I will end up with the item reasonably fast and low-hassle.