Ditch the stats, start telling stories.

We have all sat through those excruciating powerpoint presentations. "Death by powerpoint" we murmur as we slump into the beige conference room seating once again bombarded by a barrage of stats. Often, surprisingly small sample sets are cleverly used to deliver dubious logic and spurious insight. I have found that I am often left wanting when statistics are somehow used as a crutch for firms that lack confidence and vision. These stats are often massaged to reinforce a pre-conceived notion that is at best mundane, and at once unavailable for discussion. "You can't argue with the numbers" we are told.

The fact is that what is often missing from these presentations is any kind of emotional customer journey. No narrative to build real connection to your story and a missing relationship between that 'need' and the things your company does to make that journey, better/easier/faster/more purposeful. So for example - a stat may tell you that 58% of your customers now complain 'real-time' about your service on a mobile device, but the underlying story is that they are now able to connect 'in the moment' with brands while they are on your planes, in your stores, at your check-in kiosks. They are semi towel-dried and shivering as they tweet about the lack of hot water in their hotel room. When you understand this new dynamic you'll adapt your real-time social customer strategy to connect to these emotional customer moments - resolving those live customer experiences as they occur - and in doing so you'll gather the most authentic customer insight you've ever had.

Whenever I listen to a statistic I try to imagine the very real underlying story that sits awkwardly behind the neat rows presented on unimaginative slides. Posted and presented often with a dryness that can leave mediocrity feeling comforted while it will almost certainly force the creative, inquisitive mind to search for the real meaning and to transform the embedded excel charts with pivots into a story - a reconnection with a real customer.

As 2015 quickly approaches and you search for new years resolutions perhaps one should be to ditch those decks (or at the very least to look beyond them) and get out and talk with real customers. Not just the happy ones that are lined up easily for execs as though on a fishing trip with docile salmon and dynamite - but instead a renewed focus on the trickier clients. While you're at it, listen to, and engage with your social channels and engage with real users. Ask the hard questions and get into the blood stream.

Before the end of Q1 2015 promise yourself you'll speak to 10 customers, perhaps some that are unhappy and dissatisfied. Be curious to a fault, desperately working to seek out the truth, and have a plan to bring these very real customer stories back into the business. Work with product and service teams to improve the experience you deliver and begin to work with the business to craft those positive experiences into real use cases, transform those into new and interesting stories that are deeply relatable.

Every company has a story to tell, one where your customer is the protagonist. A story that draws others emotionally to your business.. start telling yours.