What really is an authentic experience and does it really drive growth?
At first glance, authenticity appears straightforward. To be authentic, one simply needs to be genuine in their thoughts and actions. However, as is often the case with our discussions in the podcast, the subject becomes complex under scrutiny.
Our motivation to discuss authenticity stems from a podcast listener's request. They find themselves grappling with authenticity in their experience and want to know how to improve and leverage it to generate growth with their customers.
Consider the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London. It has meticulously recreated Holmes's apartment. As part of the London School's team, Professor Kent Grayson, MA, PhD, a scholar fascinated by authenticity, would engage museum visitors by posing a seemingly absurd question: Is the apartment portrayed in the museum authentic?
However, it’s a silly question. It cannot be authentic since Sherlock Holmes himself lacks authenticity.
Nevertheless, individuals earnestly responded to Professor Grayson's query. Some offered genuine critiques, pointing out anachronistic furniture pieces and other details. It was ironic that the attendees thought that the fictional place inhabited by an imaginary detective was inauthentic because the end table was from the wrong period…but there it is.
In this podcast, we discuss authenticity and how it matters in Customer Experiences. What we discover is elementary, our dear Watsons.
Here are some other key moments in the discussion:
- 02:05 Ryan explains about the London Business School Professors research about the authenticity of the Sherlock Holmes Museum.
- 07:02 We discuss how a thing doesn’t have to be real to be authentic; it just has to feel real.
- 13:22 Colin explains that every experience is authentic; however, what it reflects about an organization might not be what customer want or value.
- 20:38 We cover the idea that the customer perception is key, so making customers feel an experience is authentic is essential.
- 30:03 We discuss the key takeaways that we have from this discussion and how it can help your experience.
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