Customers Having a Human Experience?
Technological advances over the last 30 years prove a great deal about the intelligence and ability of the human mind. We’ve come a long way, witnessed many amazing developments in our lifetime and experienced some of the most thrilling changes in our way of life. But what have we lost?
Could we have anticipated that when we moved from the craftsmanship of the pre-Ford era into the ivory towers and industrial parks of today’s business environment, that we would lose something equally as important as the productivity we gained?
We talk a great deal about customer relationships. But rarely is the term used outside of a discussion about technology. As consumers we’ve come to accept that we may never meet or have a conversation with the companies who manufacture the products we use in our day-to-day lives. Our business-to-business relationships usually involve some direct interaction, but with the ubiquity of the web human contact has diminished greatly.
I understand the need to drive costs out of the productivity cycle wherever possible, but profitability at what cost? Despite our evolution, our customers and the people that serve them are still seen as cost centers.
How long can a company sustain a profitability formula that stakes a claim for the greatest share of the customer at the front door while chopping away at the value it provides out the back door? Perhaps its time we redefine what it means to be profitable.
In my opinion, until we recognize that business profits and deeper customer relationships are not mutually exclusive, we will only scratch the surface of what’s possible.
Corporate decisions that threaten a way of life
One of this week’s most widely covered Canadian news stories was that of a decision by Canada’s largest provider of home insurance. Concerned over mounting claims for dog maiming cases, they made a decision to deny insurance to clients that own certain breeds of dog.
Denying certain pet owners the ability to protect their homes and assets because of the negligent acts of a relative few, is a high stakes decision. If competitors follow suit, it won’t be hard to imagine the potential fallout, from insurance clients to breeders to the already overburdened animal shelters.
Based on the angle the media has taken, which contrasts the decision to deny coverage against the company’s record profits for last year, it might not be long before the company's bottom line is effected. Fueled by negative buzz at the dinner table or around the water cooler, company's that ignore the human side of business, apparently underestimate the ripple effect it can have in today's infinetely wired marketplace.
Six fundamental practices for developing your customer-orientation
Think about your own experiences, as a buyer in business or as a consumer. Do you apply the same standards that you demand as a customer, to your own company’s customer practices?
Here are a few guidelines that can help you to broaden your customer view. They seem obvious as I write them, but I know all too well, how rarely we act on these things in the day-to-day.
1. Being a customer is a role, it's not who we are
Ignoring the importance of customer values, expectations and their basic human need for fulfillment leaves much of the potential for profit undiscovered. Companies that surround their products and services with experiences that resonate in the hearts and minds of customers, stand to gain a leadership advantage that few competitors can match.
2. We can (eventually) tell when someone is faking it
Customers can tell the difference between a company who attempts to deepen customer relationships as a means to an end, and those who seek deeper customer relationships as an end in itself. This is where significant opportunity lies.
3. As individuals we always act in our own self-interest first
Keep in mind that whether a customer is making a purchase for business or personal use, they will always decide in their own self-interest first. They may be dependent on receiving a paycheck, or want to look good to their boss, but their underlying motivations are always personal first, business second. This makes the need to connect with their objectives, motivations and expectations all the more important.
4. Go beyond matching needs/wants with features/benefits
Simplifying customer experiences down to a collection of needs and wants to be matched with our benefits and features is practical, but not always the most profitable. Look for opportunities where your competitors are heavily invested in this features/benefits, needs/wants business approach and begin to drill down into the underlying objectives and motivators of your customers and potential customers.
5. Money can't buy love (for ever)
Money can’t buy love. It’s unrealistic to believe that you can woo clients into “bed” with dinner and roses and expect them to make a long-term commitment to your company. Strive to anticipate, communicate and fulfill the expectations of your clients and you’ll start to open doors that your competitors have yet to realize even exist.
6. Engage -- Connect -- Relate
Our choice of language says a lot about our orientation. It might be time for an update. Would you refer to a meeting with a new acquaintance or business colleague as an attempt to “attract, acquire and retain” their friendship? If this mind-set doesn’t serve in your personal relationships, it likely doesn’t serve your business relationships, either. I find that thinking in terms of how I ‘engage, connect and relate to people,’ helps me to keep my priorities in order and my business objectives in check.
Whatever practices you implement, approaching your business and your customers using a more human touch, will lead you to many new opportunities to create mutually fulfilling relationships.
Join our upcoming webinar on how to create customer-driven strategies for market leadership, in your firm.
Yvonne Bailey is a customer engagement coach and President of EVE Consulting. She can be reached for private consultation, speaking engagements and webinar presentations at 604-231-7343.
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