citizen Evangelist

One of the common themes at South by Southwest’s Interactive 2008 what authenticity. This term was used in the context of the user experience, messaging, and design. When I would look around the room after this word was used, it was obvious that the message resonated because there were so many smiles and nodding heads. When I look around at the products and services that are most readily available, I get an entirely different feeling. That caused me to take a step back and question whether people are using this term with the same meaning, or if I was in fact missing something.

What does it mean to be authentic?

Merriam Webster Online defines authentic as “actually and exactly what is claimed” and “implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact.”

Wikipedia gives supporting context where it states that authenticity “refers to the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions.”

Ironically, both of these definitions come back to to perception and a foundation of trust. When you take a moment to evaluate your product or service can you honestly say the following

My product or service:

• is advertised/promoted in a way that describes realistically achievable results?
• provides a ’solution’ for the target user?
  • delivers results in line with how the user wants to accomplish their goals
  • helps the user accomplish their goals better/faster/cheaper
• is easy to buy?
  • the customer’s perceived value exceeds the cost
  • is available when/where/how the customer wants to buy it
  • the buying process isn’t scary or cumbersome
• is easy to use & own?
  • customer support is accessible and helpful
  • the user interface is friendly and doesn’t require the user to ‘think’ about how to accomplish their goals
  • the solution helps the user accomplish their own goals or aspirations by owning or using the product or service

I’ve always believed that perception drives reality. The challenge in this context has absolutely nothing to do with your perception however. The principle issue is the perception of your customers and prospects.

Do your customer’s perceptions align with your business needs?

Each and every day in each and every interaction with your customers you have an opportunity to make certain that their perception of your company and your products or services are authentic. Are you doing what you need to in order to achieve your goals? I’m certain that there are millions of opportunities that can dramatically affect the operations of your business.

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I am so sick of companies and marketeers focused on achieving customer satisfaction!

This is absolutely the wrong focus: this is the pursuit of mediocrity.

mediocrity - WordNet®
noun
1. ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding [syn: averageness]
2. a person of second-rate ability or value; “a team of aging second-raters”; “shone among the mediocrities who surrounded him” [syn: second-rater]

In today’s market, satisfaction does not guarantee a returning customer, it does not offer you assurance of word of mouth, and it doesn’t prevent that customer from telling others about poor experiences associated with your company or product.

Satisfaction is directly tied to the difference between expectations and experience. I can be satisfied with poor service when that is what I expect (and believe me, I expect poor service these days).

I can be unsatisfied when I have high expectations which are net me.  Rarely does this modify my behavior.  Instead, I typically adjust my expectations.

As a producer of goods or services, there are two dimensions that I can use to change customer satisfaction:

a) I can work hard to lower the expectations of my customers
b) I can work hard to improve the experiences of my customers

Further, when its time to report on these results… how should I determine how I’m doing? The most common practice is to average the results. It is very easy to miss out on important details using this method. For example:

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Nokia is in the midst of an exciting new strategy: Getting their customers directly involved in the product development process. In an article published today, it is obvious that Nokia sees the value of customer collaboration in the product development life-cycle. In support of this strategy, Nokia leverages a Beta Labs site which invites users to provide unfiltered and direct feedback to the Research and Development teams inside Nokia.

According to Oliver Thyman, a participant in Nokia’s Idea Generation Workshop and active blogger:

Working with your customer is something where the world is going to. As a company you cannot close yourself off from the world anymore. If you’re locked in your ivory tower and there is discussion about you going on, it makes sense to get out there and take part in that conversation.

Tommi Vilkamo is the host and manager behind Nokia’s Beta Labs and has a wonderfully challenging opportunity in soliciting community feedback, engaging those participants, and keeping the process moving. With 1 Billion Nokia Customers, there is bound to be some interesting dynamics that emerge.

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South by Southwest Interactive 2008 has come to its end. The event had its highs and its lows, and my mind is spinning with all of the information gained.

Over the next few days, I’ll do my best to pull my notes together and share key pieces of insight and information I pulled from the esteemed panelists and speakers. The primary themes I found were those of collaboration, community, authenticity, and aesthetics.

The conference started on the disappointing side for me, but by Day 2 I realized that the first few sessions were not representative of the remaining. I’m already looking forward to next year.

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I am almost completely ignorant when it comes to anything dealing with Soaps. I have been trained almost exclusively by P&G and obviously have missed out on a variety of options and details involved in the possible options of determining the best soap to use for the job.Thanks to a recent shopping experience with my wife, my eyes were finally opened to my obvious deficiency in product knowledge. Soap types, essential oils, natural scents, and base ingredients were all options that needed to be considered in this particular product search.

While looking through the variety of product offerings, this packaging struck my eye.

The reference to “No Fake Crap” is too edgy for most producers and consumers, but I found it refreshing. No hyperbole, direct, few words. No Fake Crap.There is often a fine line between representing facts and creating an image of the experience associated with using any product.

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