If you do, here is a terrific white paper available at no cost: Advancing the Customer Experience, created by the Disney Institute in collaboration with Harvard Business Review.

Please click here to download a free copy.

Meanwhile, here is a brief excerpt.

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Here are three strategies any organization can implement to begin overmanaging its customer experience:

1. Create an organizational common purpose.

The essential foundation on which all other service decisions can be developed, a common purpose is a succinct explanation of what you want the customer experience to be at the emotional level. It represents to all employees what you stand for and why you exist, and it is the primary tool for getting everyone “on the same page.”

2. Get to know your customers holistically.

Your knowledge of the customer must extend far beyond the boundaries of traditional service criteria. Truly understanding their needs, wants, emotions, and industry stereotypes is the key to creating personalized interactions.

“Listening posts” are an excellent example of a customercentric tool that companies can use to assess the customer experience and immediately identify areas where customer expectations are (or are not) being met and exceeded.

3. View exceptional service as an economic asset rather than an expense.

With lifetime customer relationships at stake, the return on investment for providing consistently exceptional service clearly justifies the short-term cost. In these times of significant change, stronger innovators will inevitably outperform weaker innovators, so keep an eye on the future and ensure your customer service experience does not become a commodity