Do You Know What Your Customers Want?

know-your-customersAt the NJ Shore, ice cream trucks still roam the local streets. Each beach block the ringing of the chimes or bells brings out running children laughing with glee and happiness to purchase their favorite treat.

Imagine if when they arrived at the truck all that was available was fruit! Nice wholesome apples, pears, peaches or a banana to purchase – no ice cream.

How would the children react? How would they feel?

The reason for bringing this information up in this discussion today is to ask you how you determine what is important to your clients and customers? And, how often do you check in with your clients and customers to make certain you know what is important to them and you are providing them with what is important to them. Often – this is easier said than accomplished!

Clients, customers and prospects are continually changing their view and opinion on what is most important to them. Speak with anyone in retail and they will be happy to describe why store layouts are changed and for those in fashion why the styles always change.

It is to stay ahead of the curve. By creating the change before the consumer determines they need the change, the retailer is still somewhat in control. When the consumer changes their opinion about something, on their own, the retailer may lose their customer forever.

In a similar fashion, anyone in a provider or service based business must stay on top of the needs and wants of their clients. The continual learning and growing to stay more than current, to stay ahead of the curve is not just a necessity it is a requirement. By surrounding yourself and being a part of the leading minds in your area of expertise, you become part of the this leading edge.

You may be thinking, “I don’t need to be that much on the leading edge, everything is fine right now, my customers are happy.” Okay, you are permitted to feel this way.

By point of fact, an entire industry in the event video space was completely turned upside down almost overnight. Technology has created the opportunity for virtually anyone to offer a high quality photography and video service including editing, adding in music and more for a deep discount for family events such as weddings in comparison to only a few years ago where ‘specialists’ were running a full time business requiring booking months in advance and charging premium prices for the service.

In every geographic region these type of businesses were shutting down. Only the few who evolved, who recognized they must offer something more, something unique, something the customer wanted were able to stay in business and thrive.

In summary, always be asking, always check in with your clients, customers and prospects on what they care about.  What do they want?

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford. CT.

 

You Must Take Care of Your Clients and Customers for Business Success, Right?

In the relationship you have with your clients and customers, how far are you willing to go? Let’s speak about the product’s side first. If you sell goods or products on the internet or from a store, are you tracking your sales and returns by customer? A customer that is a buyer on a regular basis, do you have an established method of staying in touch with them? Are you aware of their interests, likes, dislikes and more, so you may add value to their daily lives? How about returns? There were a few stories recently about people who purchased expensive outfits for Halloween parties and then just returned them by stating, ‘wrong size’ or ‘did not expect it to look this way’ and of course demanded a full refund. Do you have an established and clearly stated policy for situations such as these? How about the condition of the product or goods?

Understanding that word of mouth and referrals are critical to your continued success, how are you handling these interactions? For the service based professional businesses, how far do you go with a client down a path? If you have both initially agreed upon the service to be provided, how this would take place and for what amount of money – the scope creep, or extra items requested should be clearly identifiable. Is it really that easy?

For example, if you are working with a client, and it is clear to you that they need a business plan and you have stated this to your client as a fact. If your client asks you to write their business plan for them, would you write their business plan for them? (The assumption here is that ‘writing a business plan’ is NOT your service based business). Do you clearly state and have in writing ‘you are not giving legal advice or accounting or financial advice and if such advice is needed you strongly suggest a trained professional in these areas should be sought out’?

What if in the service based business relationship your client has a presentation to put together in a few days and you are being asked to review the presentation, and to make corrections or suggestions for the specific presentation. Then you are asked to place these changes into the presentation for your client as they are too busy actually preparing for their presentation. What would you do?

All of the situations described here are real. If you have experience in these situations feel free to share your experience.

For your consideration in resolving these situations before they take place:

In the product sales arena or for in person sales have a few sentences you ask your cashier to deliver to each person once the sale is complete. Have this statement be delivered in a friendly manner and it should describe your store return policy and be concluded with something like, “Do you understand this return policy?” Look the customer in the eye and say, “We thank you for your business.” If the sales are in an online environment, make certain to have a statement with a box which must be clicked to conclude the purchase, which describes your return policy.

For any service based business, a brief one or two page understanding of the scope of work agreement should be signed by all parties once the engagement begins, one copy to each party. This will define how you will work with each other and who is responsible for what. This is especially important in the consulting and coaching business. It is important for anyone in any service based business as well.

Are you ready to meet with Mitch Tublin and set up your business for success? Contact Mitch here and book your first appointment: info@easysmallbusinesssolutions.com or call 877-907-8223.