CX Innovation Using Lightning Demos
You've just completed your journey mapping research (qualitative and quantitative) and have uncovered a series of pain points throughout the current state journey.
In the case of a prior client, GAdventures small group travel company, these included failure to create an emotional connection, lacking customer diversity in marketing, difficulties finding trips that inspired them, low credibility or trustworthiness of trip reviews, the complexity of the booking process, and staying up to date on price changes and promotions to name a few of them.
You are seeking inspiration for ways in which to improve the end-to-end traveller journey. Where do you start?
I have found that a very useful technique is to perform CX-focused Lightning Demos (part of the Design Sprint process created by Jake Knapp).
What are Lightning Demos? Lightning demos are a way of sharing out everyday experiences we all have as we engage with brands, products, services. When you are ideating on ways to improve customer experience you don't have to start from scratch! We do want to create something unique and differentiated for our individual Brands, but, often times you can do this by starting with something someone else has done and "building upon it" or "remixing" it to make it your own.
Step 1: Make a list of brands, products, or service experiences you've encountered yourself or within your team that are related to the pain points your customer's are experiencing.
Step 2: Give a three-minute demo for each of the ideas on the list. This can be as simple as talking about the experience, sharing an App, sharing a website, or looking at an actual email you received from a company.
Step 3: Capture the "Big Idea" from each Lightning Demo sketching a simple picture as well as some simple notes to reflect on later. At this point, we are simply trying to capture the core essence of what made this an easy, enjoyable, or memorable customer experience.
As an outcome of one of the CX-focused Lightning Demo session we uncovered the following CX opportunities:
Dreaming (about the next adventure):
WealthSimple's social media posts tell a brand story not just a product story (emotional connection)
WealthSimple leverages social media platforms to share stories that resonate emotionally with their audience, focusing on their values, mission, and customer success stories rather than just their financial products.
This approach fosters a deeper connection with potential travelers by tapping into their emotions and aspirations, making them more likely to dream about their next adventure with a brand that understands and shares their values.
Facebook memories help people remember past experiences to inspire new ones and reconnect people (inspire, reconnect)
Facebook Memories feature reminds users of their past posts, photos, and activities from previous years. This nostalgic element can inspire users to relive enjoyable past experiences or plan new adventures.
For G Adventures, integrating a similar feature can help past travelers recall their memorable trips and inspire them to book new journeys, leveraging the emotional pull of nostalgia and shared experiences.
Researching (which travel company to go with):
ModCloth represents the diversity of its' customer based by actually using them as models on their website (customer diversity)
ModCloth breaks away from traditional marketing by featuring real customers as models in their product displays. This inclusive approach showcases a variety of body types, ethnicities, and styles, making the brand more relatable and authentic.
G Adventures can adopt this strategy by highlighting diverse traveler stories and photos, making a wider audience feel represented and more connected to the brand.
Contiki travel reviews include a reviewer profile, picture, # of tours and countries travelled (increase credibility)
Contiki enhances the credibility of its travel reviews by including detailed profiles of reviewers, complete with photos, the number of tours they’ve taken, and the countries they’ve visited. This transparency adds authenticity and trust to the reviews.
G Adventures can implement similar features, ensuring that potential customers see genuine, trustworthy reviews from seasoned travelers, thereby making informed decisions easier.
BOOKING (the trip and associated airfare and lodging):
Expedia makes it easy to book flights, hotel, car rental, etc., either all together or after the fact (make it easy)
Expedia streamlines the travel planning process by enabling users to book flights, accommodations, and car rentals all in one place, either in a package or individually. This flexibility simplifies the booking experience, saving time and reducing stress.
G Adventures can enhance their booking system by offering comprehensive travel packages that include all necessary arrangements, making it convenient for travelers to plan their entire trip in one go.
Skyscanner provides price alerts to let passengers know when the price drops (inform, add value)
Skyscanner adds value to the travel booking process by offering price alerts, notifying users when the cost of flights or accommodations drops. This feature helps travelers secure the best deals and makes the booking experience more cost-effective.
G Adventures can incorporate similar alerts for their tours and related travel services, ensuring customers feel informed and can take advantage of the best available prices.
Preparing (for travel including visa, what to bring/or not):
The weather channel provides forecasts not only regarding weather, but, likelihood of rain, UV range, and allergy scores (inform, add value)
The Weather Channel equips travelers with comprehensive weather information, including detailed forecasts, rain probabilities, UV ranges, and allergy scores. This detailed data helps travelers prepare adequately for their trips.
G Adventures can offer similar resources, providing travelers with essential information about the weather, health considerations, and packing tips for their destinations.
The Sutton Place Hotel personalizes its post-booking communications to guests making them feel appreciated (personalization)
The Sutton Place Hotel enhances the guest experience by sending personalized communications after booking. These messages might include personalized itinerary details, special offers, or tips for enjoying their stay, making guests feel valued and appreciated.
G Adventures can adopt this approach by sending personalized emails or messages to travelers, offering tailored advice, travel tips, and exclusive offers relevant to their upcoming trips.
Traveling (the trip itself from arrival to saying goodbyes to fellow travelers):
Hawaiian Airlines greets its' passengers with a fresh leis and a smile (warm welcome, sense of place
Hawaiian Airlines creates a memorable first impression by greeting passengers with a fresh lei and a warm smile upon arrival. This welcoming gesture immediately immerses travelers in the local culture and sets a positive tone for their trip.
G Adventures can incorporate similar welcoming experiences, such as local greetings or small cultural gifts, to make travelers feel special and connected to their destination from the moment they arrive.
Uber in App Support provides five different ways to contact Uber (communication preferences
Uber enhances customer support by providing various contact options within their app, such as chat, phone, and email support. This flexibility caters to different communication preferences, ensuring that travelers can easily access help when needed.
G Adventures can offer multiple support channels, both online and offline, to ensure travelers can quickly and easily resolve any issues or questions during their trip.
Remembering (looking back on trip, sharing the experience with others:
The NCAA captures the entire basketball tourney and its' associated memories with a single "One Shining Moment" video at the end of it's telecast (shareable memories)
The NCAA’s "One Shining Moment" video montage captures the highlights and emotional moments of the basketball tournament, creating a memorable and shareable recap. This engaging content allows fans to relive the excitement and share it with others.
G Adventures can create similar recap videos or photo albums for travelers, highlighting the best moments of their trips and making it easy for them to share these memories with friends and family.
These are just a few of the ideas that inspired the G Adventures travel company to envision ways of delivering a new and improved traveller experience pre-travel, during-travel, and post-travel. As you can see, some of the ideas came from within the industry but several came from outside the industry.
As Designers we all know that the design process requires divergence (looking at multiple ideas) and convergence (selecting the best ideas). I have found that Lightning Demos are a useful tool specifically when you are at the divergent stage of the design thinking process.
If you are looking for someone to help you look at ways to facilitate CX innovation feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or by email at johngusiff@customercentricllc.com. I love having the opportunity to chat with others as passionate as me regarding improving customer experience!