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Learn Everything You Need to Know About CX From ’80s Music

Jim Tincher Jim Tincher 12/28/2020
young man with boombox and sunglasses

I admit it – I’m a child of the ‘80s. We’ve got 150+ stations on our satellite radio, but it stays tuned to 80s on 8 or First Wave, except for those rare occasions when I stray to the ‘70s or ’90s stations. (Much to the chagrin of my wife, who has broader musical tastes. But marriage is compromise, right?  

During the pandemic, I’ve been listening even more, and it occurred to me one day recently that the music of that era informed my views about customer experience early on. 

Obviouslythe ‘80s were the decade of (the) Journey. Their sage advice taught me how important it is to put customers in control and deliver an experience Any Way You Want It 

But you also have to provide customers with a personalized experience they feel is “Love My Way.” And constantly reinforce the message that you will be there for them “Time After Time,” so they can “Relax” knowing they didn’t give you “Money for Nothing.”  

Simple Minds reminded us what happens when we don’t provide operational transparency, and customers have to tell you, Don’t You Forget About Me. Providing consistent, relevant communication is key, so customers know there’s “Always Something There to Remind Me.”  

If we don’t respond, they’ll be wondering, “Don’t You Want Me? 

Know When to Change Your Tune

Perhaps the best example of focusing on customers came from Erasure (although it did slip into the 1990s). While we can argue whether satisfaction is the best metric to measure, it’s certainly something we need, and Andy Bell explained its importance when he shared: 

And the lovers that you sent for me
Didn’t come with any satisfaction guarantee
So I return them to the sender
And the note attached will read
How I love to hate you
I love to hate you 

Clearly, Andy feels that anything you send him should have satisfaction guaranteed, which has become the de facto standard for many companies. Failure to live up to that promise could certainly lead to customers hating your brand. If that happens, some customers might say “I Hate Myself for Loving You” a few times before defecting.

But many have come to expect “More Than This” from the companies they do business with. They will move on right away “With or Without You“…but more likely without you.

That can make it seem like “The End of the World as We Know It,” especially when so many CX leaders are “Under Pressure” to show business results. But “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” but what you really need to do is get your execs on board so they say: “I Can’t Wait” for your next initiative, and take this seat at the table “Close to Me.”

If you want to make sure you’re a Survivoraddress your most important Moment of Truth so that you and your customers can be “Together Forever.” And don’t forgot to break down The Silos that are making showing an impact for your CX program harder than “Running Up That Hill.” 

Manage Every Breath You Take

The last thing you want is customers thinking, “What Have You Done for Me Lately?” So if you’re not taking advantage of the “Opportunityto build “High Fidelity” in your customers, you’re making a “Brilliant Mistake.” 

Once in a Lifetime” you may ask yourself “How Will I Know” if I’m really impacting the journey? You don’t want to be “Dancin’ in the Dark,” so it’s critical to monitor key performance indicatorsBy measuring how you’re performing you can prevent your customers from being Tempted” to defect to your competitors, which would really leave you “Up the Junction as they ponder, “Should I Stay or Should I Go? 

The best brands orchestrate their customer journeyEverywhere.” By making sure that “One Thing Leads to Another” across different channels and phases of the journey, you can provide seamless, friction-free experiences that flow “Just Like Honey.” Take the time to hear from customers firsthand and put yourself in their shoes to ask “Where Is My Mind?

Do this and you will have customers who are “Head Over Heels” with your brand, who actively recommend you, and who Just Can’t Get Enough” of your products and services. 

Because ultimately, all you really want are customers who are “Never Gonna Give You Up.” (Gotcha!)

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