At the cornerstone of every good business is a good buying experience. This entails an offering of something the consumer wants or needs that has perceived value and provides the buyer satisfaction from the purchase. Over the last decade technology has changed our lives and our businesses dramatically. Technology has altered the landscape in many industries. Contractors use digital images in the place of printed paper to bid projects. Publicly traded companies deliver annual reports in PDF format via e-mail as opposed to mailing a hard copy. People in general write far fewer checks for goods and services. When was the last time you sent a personally written letter via the postal service? How often do your kids talk on your land line? Technology has changed how we communicate, how we do business, how we get paid, how we pay our bills, and how we receive our information.
I used to think that my grandparents, who went from riding horses, to using the automobile, to using airlines, and finally by the end of their lives witnessing a man landing on the moon; saw the greatest amount of change in the last millenium. The change they experienced was incredible. However, I believe we are currently living in the age of the greatest technology shift in the last thousand years. It is the age of the most disruptive technology that is causing more industry changes than anytime ever in modern history.
Technology has changed the medium by which we read the written word. It has changed the way we buy things. It has forever changed our lives. What hasn't changed is the level of customer service you receive from these new era technology giants. In successful businesses the buying experience will always be at the forefront and succesful businesses will always be customer centric. The companies that capitalize on these new technologies will focus on the buying experience and the customer service you receive. It is no wonder that when you walk into an Apple Store, the largest grossing retail stores per square foot on the planet, that there are nearly as many employees as there are customers. Innovation may change the game, but it will never change the need for a good buying experience. Where there is a poor buying experience, there is the opportunity for competition and there is a competitor waiting to rise to the occasion.
When people make purchasing choices, they do so because whatever they are buying meets a need. Whether it is emotional or financial, there obviously are many reasons why people buy something. I like to explore the buying experience and how people impact the experience. I will discuss why people make the choices they make. I hope you enjoy my posts and join the discussion.
