Benefits and Attributes: letting the customer know how you will help them
The latest instalment from GRIST, exploring a micro-behaviour related to empathy that can help improve customer experience during these uncertain times. Our focus today is on highlighting Benefits and Attributes.
Social distancing has got many of us feeling aloof and remote, but by placing the customer as a central character in the solution, consultants can create a connection. One of the most common mistakes consultants make is only describing the features of a product. These are important, however, a customer solution should highlight to customers what makes the product special and how it can solve their concern. It also demonstrates an understanding of what is important to customers.
GRIST’s Top Sales Contact Centre survey of 2020 revealed, on average, 3 in 4 consultants are simply providing a product description as their solution. With online acquisition for most products a given in today’s landscape, customers who choose to contact a company by phone are often craving a more personalised transaction. They hope to receive more than just a consultant reciting the website descriptions.
However there is one team showcasing a customer-centric approach to the solution, emphasising attributes and benefits on 95% of interactions!
The good news is that it’s possible to improve quickly, using a very simple micro-behavioural approach. Here’s how.
Micro-behaviour: Benefits and Attributes
What is it?
Clearly advising what the product/service can do for the customer or how it can benefit them. An attribute describes the advantage of the features of the product (what the feature does) whereas a benefit explains how a feature will make the customer’s life easier or better.
Why is it important?
By highlighting the advantage or explaining how a feature will make the customer’s life easier, the consultant demonstrates that they truly understand what the customer is looking for. This then forms a connection that a website can never match.
When?
Once you have developed a good understanding of what the customer is after and confirmed this with them let them know a little bit about how the product works (the feature). But now resist the urge to keep going on about features and instead pause and tell the customer the advantage that the solution has for them. And if you are delivering personal advice let them know how the solution makes their life better.
How?
To do this micro-behaviour well you first need to have demonstrated the two micro-behaviours we covered previously “Understand the WHY” and “Expand on the WHY”. Equipped with the information you can then 1) explain the feature, 2) describe the benefit/attribute 3) Ask the customer what they think
You will be amazed by the response you will get from the customer.
Mini execution plan:
Implementing this in your team will take a sustained effort so here’s how to get started.
Day 1: Run a focus session to explore the What, Why and How of the Benefits and Attributes micro-behaviour.
Set a goal: Uncover the customer’s reason for calling on five calls during the day, write it down and come prepared to discuss these at the end of the day.
Day 2: Run a focus session to practise using the 3 steps described above. Make sure you practise using real-life scenarios from yesterday.
Set a goal: Ask the team to understand why the customer has called and use the 3 steps five times during the day.
Day 3 to 5: Review previous day’s learning, identify and discuss the impact on the customer, and share best practise.
Set a goal: Gradually increase the frequency that the Benefit and Attribute micro-behaviour is demonstrated.
End of the week: Review how far you have come and the impact the team is having on the customer experience (and themselves). Then celebrate because that feeling of success drives habit formation!
Check out our series of our micro-behaviour deep-dives to help your customers and teams:
[Photo by Bruno Figueiredo on Unsplash]
