WE'RE ALL IN THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS BUSINESS

"Absence blots people out. We really have no absent friends."

Elizabeth Bowen

20th century Anglo-Irish novelist/short story writer

Whether or not we have absent friends depends upon the definition of "absence", and now that I think of it, as well the definition of "friends".

However, when it comes to business there is no doubt.

If you are "absent" from your customers you are not their "friend".

And by "friend" I don't mean in the "Let's go have a beer together" sense.

Absence may make the heart grow fonder but it won't keep your customers.

THE SALESPERSON'S CREED

"Buying is a profound pleasure."

Simone de Beauvoir

20th century French novelist/essayist

After completing a sale, hearing this from the buyer should be the goal of everyone who calls themselves a salesperson.  

By the way, everyone is a salesperson for something.

Everyone!

I Will Make You Happy!

"Buying is a profound pleasure."

Simone de Beauvoir

20th century French novelist

This should be the foundation of every salesperson's approach to their occupation.

I Can't Believe You Don't Know That!

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn."

Benjamin Franklin

18th century American statesman/inventor

Always?

A lot of technology marketers look down on those who don't know how to use technology products.

Many of these people are not stupid, when it comes to technology, they just don't care enough to learn more than they already know.

Shameful, yes, but for who?

Do I Look Like I Care?

"One must not attempt to justify them, but rather to sense their nature simply and clearly."

Albert Einstein

19th/20th century German/Swiss /US scientist

The second worst mistake a marketer can make is believing they must justify the needs and wants of their customers rather than simply accept them.

The worst mistake?

Not caring.

More Than One Word

"Just think of the tragedy of not teaching children to doubt."

Clarence S. Darrow

Late 19th century, early 20th century American lawyer

The concept of "doubt" seems to me a "gate" that swings both ways.

Mr. Darrow uses it to suggest the role doubt plays in learning, whereas doubt leading to inaction is often counter-productive.

Along with ambition, caution, aggressiveness, indifference, and many more terms used to describe human behaviors, how do we sort out the good from the bad?

Or is it only possible to do so when we use these terms in context with something else, as Mr. Darrow has done?

Think about that the next time you find yourself describing a business peer or customer with just one word.

Helping You Helps Me

"Don't tell your complaint to one who has no pity."

Irish proverb

If your business results in customer complaints, is your goal to deal with them because you must, or do you wish to resolve issues to the satisfaction of those who complain?

Your answer defines what could be called your "pity", which at the same time could also be called your own "self-interest".

If the former, don't be surprised if you have fewer and fewer complaints, the result of having fewer and fewer customers.

I Will Do (ANYTHING?) For You!

"A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large."

Henry Ford

Although put a bit awkwardly, this sentiment reads like an inspirational wall plaque.

Do everything 100% customer centric, no matter the cost, and you will make a lot of money.

If so, why don't more businesses, including Ford Motor Company, do this?

Customer Knowledge: What Do You Know?

"I think Amazon is the preeminent pioneer in building a new way of doing commerce: personalized, database-driven where the big value is not in the purchase fulfillment, but in knowing as much about a customer base of ten or twenty million people as a corner store used to know about a customer base of a few hundred. In today's mass merchandising world, that's largely gone; Amazon is trying to use computer technology to re-establish it."

Andrew Grove
Past Chairman, Intel Corporation

Cost and price comes down when we move to mass market retail but so too does the retailer's and manufacturer's knowledge about its customers decline.

Must it be that way and if so, is that a problem?

Whether B2C or B2B how important is customer knowledge in your business? If it is important, what do you do to increase your customer knowledge?