I’ve often contemplated what truly defines an exceptional user experience—something many global firms claim to have mastered. While companies such as Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google, Airbnb, and Microsoft may indeed have set the bar, many firms still struggle to consistently deliver a meaningful impact. To me, an exceptional user experience means that users—whether internal or external to the organization—have the tools and mechanisms to raise their concerns, and these are resolved in a timely manner without them having to run from pillar to post. However, how many firms are genuinely achieving this is a difficult question.
Recently, I had a disappointing experience with one of India’s largest private-sector banks. It took hours of continuous follow-ups with so-called chatbots and automated systems just to reach customer care and share a genuine grievance regarding the reduction of my home loan EMI instead of the tenure after my prepayment, which they had incorrectly entered into the system. When I finally connected with the customer experience team, they flatly refused to address my concern, stating there was nothing they could do. Feeling dejected and out of options, I escalated the issue on social media and emailed the company’s CEO directly, keeping all key stakeholders in CC. To my surprise, the issue that had seemed unsolvable just a day earlier was promptly prioritized and resolved within 24 hours. A dedicated manager was even assigned to check in and ensure I had no further issues needing assistance.
While I thanked the CEO for helping me resolve this issue, I couldn’t help but wonder why it had to escalate to their level for a solution that could have easily been addressed by the customer experience team. Ironically, the bank has often claimed through its senior executives in the media that exceptional user experience is their bread and butter! Is this a strategy adopted by many companies and banks to cut costs by delaying access to an actual human representative, relying instead on automation for even minor customer issues?
In another instance, my colleague had to follow up repeatedly with the customer care team of an Indian real estate platform to get a refund for a service he paid for in advance but never received. Ironically, the company couldn’t even locate the payment. Here too, he had to escalate the matter to senior leadership and only received the refund a month later.
And just recently, we heard of a global consulting firm’s tragic failure to address the situation of a young employee who reportedly passed away due to health issues caused by extreme work pressure. The matter surfaced only after the employee’s mother’s letter to the CEO was leaked to the media. Following that, many employees shared on LinkedIn the lack of a feedback mechanism in the organization—especially in India—for employees to voice their concerns and for the organization to take appropriate action. Yet this same company frequently promotes exceptional user experience in its hiring campaigns and is often regarded as one of the best places to work.
Of course, I can’t paint all companies with the same brush. There are many organizations that take exceptional user experience seriously, as seen with some of the companies I mentioned at the beginning. Even Indian agritech startups like Otipy, telecom major Airtel and quick-commerce startup Zepto are quickly emerging as companies that focus extensively on exceptional user experience for both internal and external users. PSU Banks like Punjab National Banks are also leveraging tech for HR transformation. (See: Transforming HR with Tech: PNB’s Winning Formula for Banking Excellence). However, it’s the consistency that truly matters and sets you apart.
As an IT leader, how are you enhancing the experience for your users and consistently delivering exceptional service? I’d love to hear your story and your implementation journey. Let’s connect!
You may reach out to me at jatinder.singh@9dot9.in.
