Authenticity in experience: The X Factor for business growth?

Authenticity is a buzzword that is bandied about quite liberally these days, but what is it, and what do we need to do about this when building excellent customer experiences? We have decided to delve into this rather complex subject on our podcast, mainly because one of our astute listeners has found themselves entangled in the intricacies of being "authentic" and reached out for advice.

A curious case: The Sherlock Holmes Museum

To understand the nebulous concept of authenticity, let’s head to Baker Street – home to the legendary Sherlock Holmes, at least in the realms of fiction. Just down the road, Dr. Kent Grayson of the London Business School conducts an intriguing experiment. He asks visitors to the Sherlock Holmes Museum if they find the place authentic. This is a puzzling question, considering we are talking about a fictional character’s home. And yet, people engage. That brings us to the crux: can something feel authentic and yet not be truly authentic? A conundrum worthy of Holmes himself!

Authenticity: A matter of context

Authenticity is not a monolith; it is a sliding scale. When we wander the halls of a museum dedicated to a fictional detective, perhaps feeling authentic is all that’s required. But placing this in the context of serious business-like insurance policies and authenticity suddenly demands rigorous factual underpinning.

AI and the 'almost there' phenomenon

Let's discuss a topic close to my heart: technology, specifically artificial intelligence (AI).

ChatGPT and the like can draft work that is almost, but not quite, authentic. As someone who has the honor of being a LinkedIn Top Voice, I often find myself adding that final human touch to AI-generated content. Interestingly, companies are deploying AI screeners to filter out resumes they deem too 'robotic,' posing yet another facet of the authenticity dilemma.

Organizational authenticity: What are we really talking about?

Businesses are constantly grappling with delivering an 'authentic experience'. But let's cut through the jargon. Any experience you offer is already authentic to your organizational ethos. If you are internally focused and not focused on the customer, the customer will feel that authentic self. They won't like it! But it is authentic.

This is where the message a company gives about being customer-centric and the actual reality is often different; therefore, the customer feels the inauthentic nature of this interaction. You are aiming for an experience that resonates with what your customers value. That is the kind of authenticity that turns a one-time customer into a lifelong client.

Trust deficit: The price of inconsistency

In the realm of customer experience, inauthenticity is a deal-breaker. People value consistency, even if it is consistently mediocre. For instance, if your cable company has offered subpar service for years and suddenly ups its game, your first reaction might be suspicion rather than gratitude. That is the double-edged sword of authenticity for you.

Crafting authenticity: The 'do it right or don’t do it at all' approach

So, how does one go about offering an authentic experience? First, forget about putting on a façade; customers see right through it. You need to align your organizational strategies and actions with the experience you aspire to offer. Hire the right talent, fine-tune your processes, and, most importantly, establish customer-centricity as your religion.

Wrapping up: Authenticity is not rocket science, it's customer science

The bottom line is that every organization is already authentic in its own right. The real question is whether this authenticity resonates with what your customers value. It is a straightforward equation: Align what you do with your customer values and the authenticity – and the growth – will follow. As the great Sherlock Holmes would likely say if he were a CX consultant, “It's elementary, my dear Watson."

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