[21-Day CX Challenge] #8 -- Positive Feedback Loops

Hey again!

A few days ago we got scientific with a look at the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Ready to get scientific again?

Comparing Apples and Offices

The scientific definition of a Positive Feedback Loop goes something like this:

"A positive feedback loop is a system where one variable increases the quality of another variable which in turn increases the quantity/occurrence of the first variable."
Via ScienceTrends.com

A classic example of this is fruit ripening on a tree. As an apple becomes ripe, it produces ethylene gas. Ethylene gas signals to nearby fruit that it should ripen, and as that fruit ripens, it produces more ethylene gas, accelerating and continuing the cycle.

Positive feedback loops can also have negative results: The same example above is why the idiom "one bad apple spoils the bunch" is true, at least in the literal sense. That ethylene gas continues to be released as an apple becomes overripe and spoils. The gas from one bad apple actually can spoil the other apples, especially if they're all in the same bag.

Let's bring this example back to work. There are lots of ways feedback loops can positively or negatively affect your company, but the one we want to look at today is, well...actual positive feedback.

Why is Giving Feedback Critical to CX?

According to a 2016 PwC survey cited by Linkedin, 60% of respondents reported they'd like daily or weekly feedback (72% among those under 30 years old), but only 30% said they receive it.

The same Linkedin post said that 69% of employees say they'd work harder if they felt their efforts were being recognized.

When the team is feeling recognized and working harder, it's easy to create better experiences for your customers.

And when happier customers are coming back with more positive feedback for your team...

It creates a literal positive feedback positive feedback loop.

Today's Mission

Email your team today and thank them for their work.

Better yet, find a moment when you're not interrupting to walk over and say it to them face-to-face.

Emphasize how their work is connected to the customer and is critical to the organization's success.

You don't have to be corny or patronizing; just genuinely let them know that their work is recognized, appreciated, and creating a better experience for everybody.

It may seem like a small step, but all positive feedback loops start with a single small step. How far can this loop go?

Digging Deeper: