Customer Experience is a Learning Experience

Mastering customer experience may seem straightforward, yet it's astonishing how frequently businesses miss the mark. In my career, I have had the opportunity to face challenges and opportunities to deliver an exceptional customer experience and have developed an approach that has served me well. Allow me to share how I started my journey toward achieving a high level of customer experience.

At the outset of my professional journey, I landed a role in manufacturing straight out of university with only my engineering degree. Dressed in a suit for my first day, I was promptly instructed by my boss to change into more appropriate attire and join the production line. This hands-on learning was a valuable prerequisite before I could dive into engineering tasks or engage directly with customers.

Initially, however, this was an unwelcome surprise. Four years of engineering studies had not prepared me to operate machinery on the factory floor. Nevertheless, I embraced the challenge, as refusal didn't appear to be an option.

Over several months, I became proficient in setting up machinery, programming CNC lathes and milling machines, and inspecting finished parts. Once I understood the time required for each manufacturing process, I was tasked with cold-calling potential clients, as our small company necessitated wearing multiple hats.

Persistence paid off when I secured a meeting with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co. I pitched our company's commitment to quality, on-time delivery, and competitive pricing. They responded by entrusting me with a blueprint for an MD80 bulkhead-a part far too large for our facilities to produce. Despite this, I knew I had to seize the opportunity.

Given a workspace, I calculated what I thought was a competitive estimate within 30 minutes and presented it to the buyers. They were taken aback at how someone so young could come up with competitive pricing, and they were ready to award us the contract.

Faced with a pivotal choice, I could accept the order without a clear production plan or be transparent about our capabilities. Opting for honesty, I admitted our limitations, prioritizing ethical conduct over an easy sale.

To my relief, they then provided blueprints for wing clips and engine bolts-items well within our manufacturing scope. I returned with a quote that upheld our commitment to quality and timely delivery and secured the purchase order. This early experience not only shaped my approach to customer experience, it also defined my professional integrity.

As the face of our company, I decided to provide frequent and transparent updates throughout the manufacturing process, something I learned from observing how my father conducted himself with his customers.

We delivered the final products as promised, which began a long relationship between our two companies. The lessons I learned from that experience which I continue to use as guiding principles:

1. Always act with integrity
2. Always be transparent and communicate often, even if the message is bad news
3. Deliver on your promises

None of this is rocket science, but I still see many get this wrong. In the comments section below, I would love to hear your thoughts on building trust and developing a positive customer experience. I'll share more about the principles I developed later in my career that have served me and my customers well in the future too.

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