Nov 16 2009
Believe Me, Every Customer Is Important
It seems that it is not only France where standards of customer care and customer retention have plummeted alarmingly.
I just read Tibor Shanto’s post about his experiences at his local Apple store – if it were not so alarming, it would be amusing -
Customer Care: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly II
The drive for continuous improvement will come from your customers – if you let it and if people’s arrogance doesn’t get in the way. Believe me, the customer is an expert in your business. They may not know how to make grommets, or how to merchandise goods, or how to write software – but they do know what they want from you. “As customers, we don’t want it your way; we want it the way that suits us”. “And we will tell you, if you want to listen and providing we see you want to do something about it”.
One of the problems with people in many companies is that they just don’t want to be told, especially by a customer. No-one’s going to get anywhere with customer relations until they recognise that customers are valued assets, not dumb milk cows for money.
What’s The Lesson?
Customer relations is a strategic understanding, not a departmental name. Most people in most companies don’t think about their responsibility for developing good customer relations, because they simply don’t see it as their job.
The problem is the good old whip and trident management style which works fine in a seller’s market and costs a small fortune most of the time. The trouble is that you can’t see the cost from a simple item on the P & L. Most of it is hidden in the cost of losing business and winning new business.
Existing customers cost much less to keep than new customers cost to win. I understand that the ratio is now a massive fifteen times more!!
And you? Can you truthfully say in your heart of hearts that you believe in the value and need for everyone in the business to help to build good customer relations?
If not, then watch out for the competitor who will figure that out first or the person competing for your job who knows that is how it’s done.
Customer relations is that serious.
Today’s News: Big day today; we get to finalise the site designs for Top Sales World - I am more excited than an incredibly excited person, who is obviously excited!
Later this week, the latest edition of the JF Journal will be published, and you can reserve your copy here
Also this week, we will give you the opportunity to reserve your place for the Top Sales Experts Christmas Party on Dec 22nd – places are strictly limited and we anticipate having to organise a “wait list”
