The almighty customer

The customer is not your master but he is paying your bills!

              Start-up, networking, online marketing and advertising, the main goal of all these things is the same – customers. All those tools help you reach the customer, get his interest and make the first step towards getting him to pay for your products or services. Reaching your customers requires knowing them but also using the correct channels. You don’t want to fish for a trout in the ocean because you will only fail and ask yourself what you did wrong (wrong bait, wrong fishing rod) when actually they were not there.

            Also when you are reaching for your customers try and be accurate, don’t waste your time in 1000 meetings just to feel you did your part. Reach for those that are really qualified to become buyers, not everyone can be your customer.

            You reached them but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are sold. It only means they might buy if you can give them what they need and desire. I know it is easy to identify a desire and fulfill it but you must also address the needs. When you acquire a customer by fulfilling a desire he will be happy for a short period of time but if you identify and find a solution for what he needs then you will have a long term partner. For example let’s look at the following situation. When you go by a car your need is to have comfort or safety or reduced fuel consumption but you might also desire speed. If you get into the showroom and leave with a Porsche when you get home you might just realize you don’t have a place in the car for your two beautiful children.

 Acquire a customer by giving him what he needs, when he needs it and at the price he can pay but make him come again by taking care about his desires also. If he needs a reliable safe and comfortable car but he desires it to be red, get the man a red station wagon and call it a day.

After you got the sale and you gain some trust from them you can develop your relationship. Improve your partnership. Establish a connection based on more than just fulfilling needs, become proactive and offer solutions for future situations. Help your client identify unrecognizable needs. And try to become more than a supplier, become a partner and show them you care about them and their business as much as you care about yours. Your profits and the future of your business are linked to the success of your partners.

            At this point of the relationship most of us do the same mistake. We think that after all we did for that customer he is going to stay forever no matter what. We actually believe that because we lost some nights working for their projects they somehow owe us something.  Truth is every time you go up another level in your relationship with your customer you can never go down. Their loyalty is maintained as long as the level of satisfaction you reached is kept. But also remember to gain respect, stand your ground if you know you are right and if your solution is more beneficial for the customer also.

            You retain a customer by always delivering what you promised and from time to time put a cherry on top. But remember next time you have to put two cherries if you need to improve your relationship. Don’t chew more than you can chew because it is a slippery slope. In your race to improve the status with your customer you might just promise more than you can deliver.

            Last step in your customer cycle is the one where they become your brand ambassadors and inspire others, where they help you in reaching the next clients. The customers are the partners you wanted from the beginning. They are the customers that not only recommend you but they take their friends and bring them to your restaurant to try the food or to your construction facilities to see how you can build faster and better than your competition. They are the clients we love and the ones we have to keep close. You worked hard to build this relationship, you made him trust you, feel comfortable and promoting you comes naturally.

            On the other hand you have to keep them happy because there is no worse situation than turning your brand ambassador into an “enemy”

            When you start a business you think about profit, wealth and market share but all these are achieved only if you have customers. Clients build an opinion about you and your business based on what information you give them and decide according to their own needs and desires, not yours. They become loyal if you don’t disappoint them but become influent if they receive more than they are expecting.

            They say that only in Romania there are several million types of customers because we are all different, you cannot find the generally applied solution to everyone. But after you walked through the cycle with the client you get repetitive business and future partnerships. Adapt yourself to your clients, understand them and remember the customers’ favorite radio station WIIFM (What’s In It For Me)

           *Mihai Chiratcu is an opportunity creator, trainer and free man. After 10 years experience in sales and business development, he is using the knowledge gathered trying to bring a new approach in training and business consultancy. He brings you every Thursday special information and gives advices through the section “Business Opinions”. For more information, you can find Mihai at chiratcumihai@gmail.com.