Many companies believe they are providing superior customer experiences because they hit the mark on several key touch points. But what if many of those touch points are actually myths?

Luke Williams examined that concept at the Entrata Summit 2018, offering a divergent perspective for apartment-industry professionals who generally subscribe to a series of service-related myths. The Head of CX and Thought Leadership at Qualtrics outlined six customer experience (CX) myths.

Myth 1: Catastrophic Service Failures are Worse Than Ordinary Ones

While a gigantic failure might seem to have the most negative effect on a brand, a string of smaller mishaps can be worse, according to Williams. Large-scale mishaps often provide a prime opportunity to give a sincere apology and move on, while a string of unpleasant consumer experiences has greater potential to alienate customers.

Myth 2: Bad Experiences Cause Customers to Leave

Most customers won’t leave after one negative experience, and happy customers will leave anyway if they find a better alternative. Structuring the customer experience with loyalty and rewards programs helps make decisions more difficult to those considering leaving a brand.

Myth 3: Happy Customers Equal Healthy Companies

Many companies that aren’t universally liked are thriving financially. Think of United, which is the third-largest airline and the most profitable, but No. 78 in customer satisfaction. Others businesses might have happy customers but are struggling financially. Customers are often happy if they are given concessions or an abundance of perks, but these shouldn’t be allocated at the sacrifice of running a strong balance sheet.

Myth 4: Word of Mouth is the Silver Bullet

Word of mouth (WOM) helps drive awareness and relevance for brand marketers, but consumers ultimately will make a decision based on their personal experience with the brand. WOM definitely deserves assist value and is a relevant part of attracting customers, but it won’t guarantee the customer will remain with the brand after the initial spark.

Myth 5: CX Teams are in Charge of the Customer

CX teams are integral in many instances, but creating happy customers is a company-wide task. The CX team can’t oversee every interaction, and those who actually shape customer perceptions are anyone who comes into contact with them.