Great Customer Experience Can't Overcome an Inferior Product

By Mark Cipolletti, Pinch Hit Partners Founder and Fractional CMO

I’ve always been a consumer who appreciates an engaging customer experience. Like many people, I’m often willing to pay a premium for an experience that is enjoyable and makes my busy life a little bit easier.

So, when my stockpile of razor blades from Costco was finally running out, I decided to try Dollar Shave Club. I’m sure you’re familiar with their funny television ads where their founder and CEO jokes about how expensive razor blades are and how stores keep them under lock and key. While saving a few bucks did sound nice, I was more interested in their company because I liked the brand promise and the anticipated experience.

Using a subscription model, I would be able to receive my razor blades on a regular basis, delivered right to my door. No more large investments at Costco or late-night trips to CVS to restock. Guys love convenience and we don’t like shopping.

Always make sure that you have a great product and then create a customer experience to support it.

Well, the experience was great. The purchase was easy and fun and the razor blades arrived quickly and were contained in clever package complete with marketing copy written in the brand’s unique voice. But then it happened…

Let’s just say that when the rubber met the road, or in this case when the blade met the face, the experience went from great to not so great. The blades were low quality. I cut my face multiple times. I felt like I had been tricked. Needless to say I canceled my subscription and have repurchased my favorite razor blades (although I did have to pawn a watch to buy them).

The moral of this story is even a great customer experience – from brand to ads to purchase process – can’t overcome a poor product. Always make sure that you have a great product and then create a customer experience to support it.