I took my Bike to a Repair Shop

Here’s how my bike repair experience can be applied to businesses👇 

1.     Solve the root problems your customers face, not just the ones they think they face 🌳

When I first entered the service center, the technician put my bike on a stand and did a quick 5-minute inspection. I knew the problem I was facing (I needed my chain fixed), but the inspection allowed the technician to diagnose any other problems. He recommended adjusting my hub as well but didn’t force it on me. He explained to me what would happen if I didn’t get fixed and how the rest of the bike looks fine and fully operational.

Businesses should dive deeper into every problem a customer may face. Conduct a “bike inspection” on your product. See if there are any other underlying problems and evaluate how much they affect the customer experience. This will allow businesses to not only solve problems customers currently face but will continuously deliver a great experience.

2.     Leverage Technology as much as you can 💻

As my bike was being rolled to the back, I got an automated text message saying my repairs have started. I got information about who was working on my bike, the estimated time, who checked me in, etc. This information gave me a sense of confidence that my bike was in good hands.

Many businesses already do this (think Amazon’s package tracking), but make sure the technology you use truly benefits the customer. I could have got a simple “your repair started” text, but I got more information. As a business, envision yourself as the customer and think of the absolute best experience you would want (don’t worry about development constraints or anything else at this point). Once the best experience is defined, then start to prioritize components of that experience to develop for your users. Always keep in mind the end goal of delivering an experience that the user needs not just what the user wants.

3.     The customer is first 💡

At the end of the service, I got a rundown of everything that happened and tips on how to better maintain my bike. Their most important words to me were “we want to make sure you have the best riding experience.” That was all that mattered.

As a business, revenue is important, but never forget about the customer. At the end of the day, the customer’s experience is first and foremost. It’s okay to go out of the way to help the customer to make sure they have the best experience possible.

Final thoughts 🧠

At the end, my bike was fixed in the easiest and best way possible. I’m a happy customer and I refer that shop to my friends all because of their customer experience. Whether a bike shop, tech startup, or large enterprise, customer experience always matters. Everything starts with the customer.