The 'Net and its gadgets make buying products, getting services and finding information a snap. The Do-it-yourself-ness of the Digital Age, where we enter our info, choose our services, and pay on the spot, makes our lives as customers easier and efficient. The Social Media prompts, share buttons, chat rooms, buzz scores that invite us to react and comment on our customer experiences, indicate that service providers really care about our viewpoints and perspectives.

Just these two aspects of the Digital Age change dramatically what customers expect from their customer service experience!

Because the self service experience increases customers' efficiency, they expect the same efficiency when they contact their providers for service. "Here's my problem. Help me now. Solve it right away." Customers' efficiency expectations should prompt continual examinations and testings of your customer service systems. What service problems do we receive? How long do we take in solving the problems?

Because customers are invited to give and share their opinions on their experience, they expect that providers will respond with solutions and, at the very least, show appreciation for their comments. "Here's my suggestions for improvements... Here's what I think... Based on my experience..." Customer comments - both rants and raves - should prompt expanded response strategies to keep pace with customer demands and service innovations. Have customers identified new service needs? Are we keeping up with customer priorities? Have we showed appreciation to customers in meaningful ways?

I have found that once service providers, whatever the industry, think carefully about their personal experiences and expectations as customers, they are more likely to discover better ways to deliver their customers Digital Age Service. How about you? What's your personal customer experience? How does it transform what you think your customers want?

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