Development Suggestions for Improving Customer Experience in the Case Company

Abstract

Today, competitive advantage cannot be gained through improving the products or lowering the prices. Advantage over the competitors must be searched from new sources, for example by focusing on customer experience. In addition the value created in the past, can be important when the customer is making the purchasing decision in the future. The changes in the consumer´s wants and needs are driving companies to make changes in their business strategy. Concept of customer experience refers to finding out the needs of the customer; in order to gain competitive advantage. In addition, focusing on negative impressions is important, as people tend to share their experiences to their friends and family – this makes customer experience a marketing tool.

Focusing on different aspects of customer experience is important, as customers should be the core of the business – without the customers there is no need for the company. Companies should focus on developing customer experience in order to make the customer do transactions in the future as well.

The topic for this bachelor´s thesis was given by the case company; Limingan Osuuspankki. During my internship, the case company wanted to conduct a research focusing on customer experience as the case company wanted to focus on develop in creating experiences for the customers. As the case company had no previous experience on the topic, the goal of this research was to find out what kind of customer experience does the customers of the case company have and to find suggestions for developing it. This study focused on different aspects of customer experience, for example - how it is created and how it can be measured. All in all, developing customer experience is dependent on many different factors. Different tools for measuring customer experience, give only one viewpoint into phenomena. These conditions put pressure for the business managers as they should set goals for improving customer experience. Measuring without any goal is just a waste of resources.

Theoretical background was gathered during the autumn 2015, as customer experience is widely researched topic, the problem was to choose the most beneficial data. The empirical part of this study was conducted by using different qualitative methods, such as theme interviews conducted for the customers and for the employees of the case company. In addition, NPS survey conducted by a third party was included in the research process. The collected data was analyzed and compared with the findings from the theory. Different research methods gave an opportunity for finding relevant data and also a chance to see the reasons behind different factors and results. Due to confidential data, results from the NPS questionnaire are marked as confidential.