Many people know of MacGyver, the television show that ran from the mid-1980s until the early 1990s. MacGyver was great at solving problems by using everyday materials. While these items were not purpose-built for his use, they worked in a pinch. Tied up by bad guys, MacGyver would look around the room, eye the duct tape and some paper clips, and build a rudimentary device to save the day.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n While not an ideal solution, MacGyver jerry-rigged or hacked a solution out of something that sufficed when he was in a bind. Can you imagine living every day like that? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you imagine running your business that way? Neither can we.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every day, I speak with existing QuestionPro clients who are taking a MacGyver approach by hacking their own customer experience solution with standard survey software. They tell me how much they value their customers and how important customer experience is to their business, but they are using inefficient processes and tools to get the job done. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, I admire their drive and ingenuity. These intrepid folks are fighting the good fight, but the efficiency and results suffer. Ultimately, the customer experience suffers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n At the other end of the spectrum are very expensive, custom-built software solutions. These solutions are typically heavy-laden with consulting expenses and human efforts that fill in the gaps where smart software does not exist. Beyond this, they encourage you to divorce yourself from really understanding your customers, instead of relying on your expensive consulting partner to tell you who your customers are and how you must serve them. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\tIngenuity gone wrong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n