The world of customer experiences is becoming more and more complex as business begins to understand the need to create niche experiences that mean more to their customers.
I recently ready and article in Fast Company about how a cup cake business has redefined the mom-and-pop shop by using twitter. Now that kind of story usually interest me due to my fascination with social reinvention, however something else intrigued me more. The concepts of cup cakes!
Over twenty years ago the cup cake industry started to boom. The concept of buying one big cake did not make sense when you can buy one small cake. Big cakes are too much, what about when I just need to satisfy my sweet tooth. I have been to so many weddings lately where the wedding cake in not one big cake, but rather many small, varied and delicious cup cakes. It’s easy to eat, it’s cleaner, tastier and it’s mine!
The cake shop can now make thousands of smaller cupcakes with a wider variety of tastes for the same cost as making fewer, bigger cakes. The big cakes mean less variety, less uniqueness, less personalisation and less experience.
So here is the lesson in customer experience:
- Niching the taste and experience of your product makes it easier to sell (Many unique flavours in bite size chunks)
- Your customer is looking for lightweight, clean, easy to use products and services that don’t create waste (IE: the left over cake I just couldn’t fit in)
- A customers preference is their statement to the world. Your products should help them define and separate themselves from the rest of the world. (I prefer dark chilli chocolate because its unique)
- Creating niche products may mean changing how we display or deliver our product but it does not need to cost more to make. (same ingredients = better product experience)
