Seamless customer transition

My shock turned to laughter, surely this is a joke but no it wasn’t. I had just tapped my credit card to leave a car park and issued a receipt for $1,311. I am a once a week all day visitor to this car park, the process of tap on entry and tap on exit with a standard fee of $26 has been my experience for the past two years. So what happened?

Firstly the boom gate did not open to allow me to drive off. It only took me about 30 seconds to notice a new terminal standing right beside the one I usually use. It looked different yet had similar features of keypad, tap credit card, call button for assistance…so I tapped my credit card. Now I have two receipts, the one for $1,311 and one for $26 and the boom gate opened. I did not drive off; I pressed the call button and was greeted by a wonderful customer care person. She apologised and told me about the process for a full refund.

The irony is I work with organisations who are navigating their business transformation journeys constantly evolving to stay ahead and this involves system cutovers, where a new system replaces an old one. While this is a sign of technology advancements and operational efficiencies, it can also be a source of frustration for customers.

According to PwC published article experience is everything, it indicates 32% of customers would stop doing business with a brand they loved after one bad experience. It goes on to say 80% of customers say speed, convenience and knowledge are the most important elements of a positive customer experience.

Project teams, it is your responsibility to understand the customer challenges and effective communication strategies for a seamless transition from old to new experiences.

Have you considered these common customer challenges to inform your system cutover plan?

Confusion and Frustration

Without clear instructions, customers may struggle to adapt to the new system, leading to a negative experience.

Lack of Awareness

Infrequent users might be unaware of the change, causing them to inadvertently use the outdated system.

Difficulty Adapting

Adapting to new procedures or technologies can be challenging, especially for those not tech-savvy.

Loss of Trust

Poor communication can lead to a loss of trust in the organisation.

Missed Benefits

Customers might miss out on the advantages of the new system due to a lack of information.

“The key is to set realistic customer expectations, and then not just to meet them, but to exceed them – preferably in unexpected and helpful ways.” – Richard Branson, Virgin Group

Here are six things your project team can do to support customers before, during and after a system cutover.

1. Clear and Early Communication

Inform customers well in advance about the upcoming changes through emails, social media, and website updates.

2. Detailed Instructions

Provide step-by-step guides, tutorials, or FAQs to help customers navigate the new system.

3. Visible Signage

Place clear signage at service locations to alert customers to the change and guide them on using the new system.

4. Customer Support

Offer assistance through staff on-site, help desks, or online chat to address any questions or difficulties.

5. Gather Feedback

Collect customer feedback post-cutover to understand their experience and make necessary adjustments.

6. Transparency

Be open about the reasons for the change and how it benefits customers to build trust and understanding.

It’s not just about implementing new technology; it’s about considering the customer’s journey and making it as seamless as possible.

For my car park story, my experience was confusion and frustration and to support me visible signage placed at the service location to alert me of the change would have been an effective strategy for a seamless customer transition.