CUSTOMER VALUE IS EVERYTHING:

To survive in the modern business world, there are certain Techniques, Ideas, Principles AND Strategies that we just must imbibe. A fundamental SURVIVAL TIP I believe every young entrepreneur and professional should learn is customer VALUE. This is entirely different from customer service; it is customer value that drives customer loyalty. When you value your clients, your income inevitably appreciates.

People love to do business with those who respect them. The customer has always been the king; your expertise or indispensability cannot change this fact. Though some customers could actually take things to the extreme some times, that still doesn’t reduce their importance. To enjoy business, we need to learn how to value people. It has to reflect in our speech, our actions and our service. If you value your customers, you will make proper market research of any products before giving it out. You won’t make good money selling your ignorance; no sane man will shop for it twice.

Apart from the uniqueness of your product, customer VALUE is one more important attribute you need to be a market leader. How flexible is your refund policy? Do you wait for those who gave you deals to ‘beg’ you for updates on the position/state of affairs of the tasks? How do you even handle a customer’s complain? Do you term those who always complain as “troublemakers and self centred people?” What really is your brand experience? One complaint treated successful can catapult your business to the next level. Never underestimate the influence of a satisfied customer, and an unsatisfied customer. Customers who complain and have their problem addressed are more likely to become loyal, even more likely than those who never have a problem. Dear friends, make it easy for your clients to complain. Ignoring customers is a formula for failure.

How do you get to know you are treating your customers badly? Simple! Objectively assess the way you treat them and compare this with the way your competitors may be treating them! It is not by force to be in business; if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. If we desire to see the rainbow, we must put up with the rain. Don’t let your temperament get in the way of your success. There is no alternative to customer VALUE. The reason the average Nigerian businessman struggles with business is because he is in business just to survive. He puts PROFIT before PEOPLE! You agree with me that when you spell BUSINESS, the ‘U’ comes before the ‘I’. When you put the ‘I’ before the ‘U’, then you are no longer in business. Little wonder, many business folks are struggling with issues they shouldn’t be struggling with. Show VALUE to your clients, stop being unreasonable. Another area to this issue of VALUE that’s worth mentioning is the awful manner in which some business owners/operators treat their employees. As someone in the field of consulting, I get to handle these kinds of cases almost on a daily basis. It is not unusual for business owners to book consulting sessions and complain about the dwindling fortunes of their organization. When you take a close observation into the organization’s operations and core values; you will notice how horribly the business owner/operator disgustingly treats the employees. The employees in turn treat customers like thrash; the best way the business had to go was down... Nothing grows an organization like when the employees know they are unconditionally valued by the ‘person’ they work for... You shouldn’t kill their esteem because they work for you or perhaps because you are displeased about something they did or are doing. If they are not giving you the results you expect to see, I would rather you let them go or build their capacity by getting a consultant to have sessions with them/train them – don’t turn your employees to thrash! I sincerely think many business owners need to step out of Stone Age.

When we talk about customer service, we lay emphasis on customer, ignoring the key word “service”. Service is not just to customers alone, but equally to those within your organization. Dear friends, our pretence should stop. Treat your staffs the way you want them to treat your clients. In today’s corporate world, the ‘gate keeper’ is as important as the Chief Executive. Should that gate keeper fall ill for a day, the vacuum his absence creates will compel you to appreciate his importance. You shouldn’t hire people to frustrate them. If we want to succeed, we must see our team members/staffs as partners. Though their entire means of livelihood may come from our company, it still doesn’t put us in the position of God. You want results, no doubt. But there are productive ways of going about it, you cannot kill their moral and expect to get the best from them.

An ever discouraged workforce will inevitable produce a crippled organization. Stop downplaying the importance of showing respect and courtesy to those under you. Always remember this, outstanding results comes from lively morals. Love your staffs genuinely. Love provokes amazing productivity and efficiency. Don’t just say you love them, show them you do. If you always rebuke them in the open, why should your love be in the secret? Recognize them when they do well, a little ‘certificate of recognition’ will not cost you much. Employees will be very proud to ‘parade’ it to their loved ones, who in turn will encourage them not to disappoint their bosses. You can adopt this reward approach irrespective of your company’s size. Buy them gifts expressing your satisfaction when they perform above average, it will spur them to do better. If what you actually need is an IMPROVED PERFORMANCE, expressed value for your staffs and team members is a sure way to get it. Don’t kill your business like others, like you claim they’ve done,

We must begin to understand what it means to build and sustain RELATIONSHIPS, both with our clients and also with those in our organizations. In business, your material wealth is equated to the quality of the relationship you have consciously and unconsciously built, both with your current and potential clients, and those within your organization. Charity must always begin at home. Little wonder, those in business for money and not value, do not always have steady clients. Their craze for profit can’t keep ‘serious’ customers. They always pursue money, caring less about a repeat transaction. I believe the wisdom in this piece can help us retrace our steps and build a more solid and long lasting business.

You must happen!

© Sule Emmanuel, April 2008

ARTICLE LINKS

National Development

• How did we get here?
• Towards a better Nigeria
• Why we must all be interested in October 1st

Business Growth and Entrepreneurial Development

• Effective customer relationships
• Customer value is everything

Success Motivation

• Face your fight
• Bring something to the table
• In the face of challenges
• Do Something
• The SUPPORT Language

Relationship

• Who said I must be like you?