When Was The Last Time You Invested In Technology With Your Customer In Mind?

Good Companies Improve Internal Efficiency. Great Companies Create External Impact.

I remember when my previous construction company invested in new project management software. It was a good tool for us, nothing groundbreaking, but it had more bells and whistles than our previous system.

Internally, it was a small improvement and valuable enough for us to learn and adopt. But from the customer’s perspective, nothing changed.

The new software did not help us communicate better with customers. It did not improve the level of service we provided. To customers, the experience remained exactly the same.

That led me to ask an important question:

Can we invest in a more visible place, a more impactful place?
How can we use technology to create the biggest impact for our customers?

Customer Experience Is the Real Technology Investment

Investing in technology that changes the customer experience is really an investment in your customer base.

Technology companies understand this better than anyone. It’s why your smartphone constantly prompts you to update your apps. Competitive advantage today, and for the foreseeable future, is built on:

• Better features
• Faster experiences
• Easier workflows
• More valuable interactions

The goal is always the same: improve the customer experience.

Industries like field service and construction have traditionally lagged behind in this area because change is difficult.

The transition from handwritten paperwork to digital communication was, and probably still is, one of the biggest customer-centric technology investments our industry has made. At one point, that alone gave companies a meaningful advantage during sales presentations and bid processes.

But here’s the real question:

Is that still a competitive advantage, or is it simply expected now?

And another difficult question:

Was the move from pen and paper the last customer-centric technology investment you made?

If it was, and it’s almost 2019, then you’re overdue for another one.

If you still haven’t made that leap, don’t wait any longer.

And if you’re currently convincing yourself that your GPS investment was customer-centric, I can tell you right now, no matter how you frame it, it wasn’t.

A Key to Customer-Centric Technology

Invest in What’s Valuable, Not What’s Cool

So how do you identify smart investments in customer-focused technology?

A customer-centric technology solution should accomplish three critical things:

1. Deliver Value on Every Call

Whether it’s service, installation, inspections, or site surveys, great technology should become part of how you deliver service every single time.

2. Make Information Easy to Access and Understand

Customers should be able to easily access, consume, and understand information whether they are using a mobile device or desktop computer.

3. Improve Customer Communication and Education

Technology should help you educate customers by clearly communicating:

• Services performed
• Service-related issues
• Recommendations for improving their home or building

If the technology you’re evaluating checks all three boxes, you’re looking at one hell of a product.

Final Thoughts

Whatever you choose, avoid investing in what’s merely “cool.” Invest in what’s genuinely valuable and creates measurable impact for your customers.

As 2019 budget planning kicks off, hopefully this gets you thinking differently about where your technology dollars should go.

Investing in your customer experience is one of the strongest strategies available for generating meaningful, long-term impact.