I’m slightly saddened to hear we have a ‘get to know your customers day’.
Every day is ‘get to know your customers day’.
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Don’t get me wrong - I’m all for celebrating life, interactions, humanity and everything. But shouldn’t this consideration be an everyday matter? After all we are all customers of someone and without having customers of what we do well, what’s the point of it all? And I don’t mean purely commercial customers.
Let’s look at who or what a customer is. Someone that buys what you do. Has a use for what you have to offer. Has a choice in what they do and buy, but is familiar with what you stand for. They align with you. Want to be seen displaying their choice. And as your advocates, are – very often – your best sales team.
Without getting too ‘scientific’ customers exercise a subtle blend of rationale and emotional decisions, and value, in choosing to ‘give you a shot’ – either occasionally or frequently. What we are ultimately talking about here is the description of a ‘relationship’. Relationships are never transactional. Even the briskest of exchanges happen because of a range of deep seated needs, driven by even the weakest form of relationship.
Putting relationships at the heart.
As human beings, relationships sit at the heart of all our great customer interactions. And like all forms of relationship they are a two-way street and need to be worked at, managed, resolved and developed.
They are never easy. They become challenged and even compromised at times. But once they are formed, resilient, good humoured, enjoyable and mutually productive customer relationships have to matter more than a day’s worth of focus.
For me, every day is get to know your customers day.
About the author.
Steve Tolton is the Managing and Executive Creative Director at Fuel Integrated.