Summary

<aside> 💡 The book emphasizes the importance of Human-to-Human (H2H) interactions in both Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) settings.

• To retain customers, businesses must be attuned to their emotional journey and consider all individuals who interact with the product.
• Most businesses focus on acquiring new customers but fail to retain them due to neglect after the sale. This leads to a loss of 20 to 70 percent of newly acquired customers in the first 100 days.
• Businesses are structured around customer acquisition, not customer experience. They often fail to transfer the attention and care given to prospects to newly converted customers.
• The average business spends 6.9 percent of its total revenue on marketing, but less than a fifth of this is dedicated to customer retention activities.
• A 5 percent improvement in customer retention rates can yield a 25 to 100 percent increase in profits.
• Customer service is reactive, addressing problems when they arise. Customer experience, on the other hand, is proactive and anticipates potential issues, creating an overall positive environment for the customer.
• The first 100 days after a sale are critical for securing customer loyalty. Businesses need a consistent, systematic approach to customer experience during this period to build a foundation of trust and rapport.
• The customer journey consists of eight phases: Assess, Admit, Affirm, Activate, Acclimate, Accomplish, Adopt, and Advocate. However, most businesses fail to guide the customer through all these phases, stalling between phases 4 and 6. </aside>

Notes

CHAPTER ONE A Letter from the Author: (Location 106)

When we think about the typical B2C environment, we know we’re selling to a single buyer and our focus is on that individual. Without an H2H approach, we fail to think about the other people who will interact with the purchased item. (Location 246)

In contrast, when we think about an H2H interaction in a B2B setting, we have to recognize that every business is an organization comprised of people, and therefore your product or service is interacting with humans—and many of them. (Location 249)

With H2H thinking, we consider all of the people who interact with and experience the product. (Location 254)

To never lose a customer again, you must meet your customers (whoever they are) where they are in their emotional journey. (Location 257)

The next time you find yourself thinking in terms of B2B or B2C, remind yourself that you are selling something to people that will be used by people. If you always keep that in mind, you will move your customer through the phases of the ideal journey, and you will make every customer a customer for life, regardless of your business or industry. (Location 260)

CHAPTER TWO (Location 277)

CHAPTER THREE (Location 373)