In Designing the User Experience

A business's ability to put itself in the shoes of its customers is the essence of designing an outstanding customer experience. While that might sound obvious, it’s something that gets botched on a regular basis by companies of all types. 

Phone companies have traditionally been so bad at seeing their business from their customers’ perspective that you’d think they weren’t phone users themselves. In fact, that’s partly the case: Until recently, some telecommunications companies had dedicated support teams who looked after all administrative matters for executives, in effect insulating them from any of the convoluted monthly statements and tedious customer service calls that most of us know all too well. Far from being eager to see the world from their customers’ perspective, they had created a system where they would never have to.

On the other end of the spectrum are companies that live and breathe their customers' experience. They make decisions based on what makes sense for their users, and anticipate what might make that experience even better. Porter Airlines has considered every aspect of its customer experience, and in doing so changed the way a lot of people think about flying. For instance, while its competitors have forfeited their waiting areas as an opportunity to enhance flyers’ experience, Porter has planned every detail of theirs to make it a place you might actually enjoy spending time.

In Designing Products

Great product designers step into the shoes of their users with ease. There is no better example than Apple, whose team of designers and engineers approach both the conception and execution of products from the perspective of their users. It's an approach that has allowed them to revolutionize not only their core markets, but also more peripheral domains - like learning how to play guitar.

In Developing Strategy

In planning its schedule, Showcase associated its brand not with a specific show, but with a time slot. They put themselves in the shoes of the viewer, acknowledging that TV viewing is not strictly making sure you're in front of your TV for a certain show; oftentimes it's finding yourself in front of your TV and wondering what's on. Their "10:00pm Unmissable" campaign was hugely successful. 

In Staying Relevant

During the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, NBC aired a four-minute segment giving American viewers a better understanding of Canada and the remarkable relationship both countries often take for granted. By acknowledging that viewers would benefit from this context, NBC strengthened its ratings while providing its audience with a better experience.

In Advertising

Consider how poorly advertisers put themselves in the shoes of the consumer. Most ads no one would watch if they didn't have to. Yes, this advertising is often subsidizing their content, but ultimately, the viewer is having to sit through something they’d rather not. A new breed of organizations understands that it's very much possible to talk in a way that's real and interesting - even the biggest companies, as GE proves in this piece promoting Healthymagination.

In Advancing Causes

Many organizations have as a primary goal changing the public's perception around an issue. This challenge is really about enabling the world to see the issue from a perspective they might not have considered. For instance, if people saw the downside of the $85-billion bottled water industry - like that there are already over one trillion bottles in landfills - they might see tap water in a new light.