Last night I checked out a new restaurant called Life Alive in Central Square (Cambridge, Massachusetts). I think they got it right, which I find especially remarkable for their first week. I felt good walking into the place – the layout was nice, and the decor was warm and welcoming. The staff was cheerful, helpful and human. I ordered at the counter – and enjoyed the experience. Then I sat down at a counter at the window which had a row of interesting, thoughtfully selected books for diners to browse while eating. They even have a policy that if you get wrapped up in a book you can give them a $5 deposit and borrow the book. This is a place that wants to make you feel good about being there. I was won over before I had anything to eat. Then the food arrived, and – no surprise – I found it delicious. The whole experience was a welcome contrast  – doing it right takes vision, heart, commitment and operational expertise and I think most restaurants lack one or more.

So how does this apply to software? When thinking about the products we sell, we like to consider the entire customer experience, from talking to a salesperson, to visiting our website, to downloading an evaluation, to installing our software, to calling to ask sales or technical support a question, to making it easy to purchase the way that works best for you – from us, from a reseller, or via e-commerce on our web site, to managing or renewing your service. The software is at the core, but good software without the rest makes for an incomplete and unsatisfying experience. We strive to provide a superior customer experience. Many times we succeed, but we always see room for improvement. We appreciate your comments about how we are doing and suggestions about how we can make your experience better.

While I was waiting for my meal I started an interesting book about founding and managing a private company. I decided to leave it there and resume where I left off when I return for another meal. I’ll write more about the book another time.