I am continually intrigued by what really drives clients’ buying and switching behavior. More and more, I have seen that providers (both internal and external) constantly work to create a performance-driven culture within their organizations at the expense of their customers, such as by cutting corners that directly or indirectly affect service in the name of efficiency.
What does “driving a performance-driven culture” really mean? I find that, while managers strive to have happy bunnies, it is not what drives customers’ buying behavior
Tons of books have been written about this, and Vineet Nayer has pointedly written that employees must come before customers for a business to be successful, so I will not debate that. But it still leaves a big question unanswered: What does service oriented toward customers really mean? Does it mean serving coffee or reducing prices, or throwing freebies at a customer? No. What it takes, as in real life, is listening with your heart to understand what really matters to your customer. I often hear explanations like, “We lost that deal because the competitor was less expensive” or “We didn’t showcase the value we provided” or “We were not innovative enough.” But, inevitably, the company that won the deal provided the price, value and innovation the customer required, but they also did something over and beyond that sealed the deal.
Engaging with customers over the past decades has taught me that those who win and successfully deliver engagements have an eye and an ear for what the customer is really trying to achieve. This requires being willing to say “no” even when saying “yes” could produce a short-term win.
Those organizations that have been persistent with this approach are the ones that have had tremendous growth. Take Apple, Amazon, or even the shop around the corner: apart from choice, the reason you buy from them is the service they provide you. They are still on it, being persistent about building that relationship with you. Everyone wants to win those million-dollar deals, but how many make the persistent effort required to truly understand what the customer really wants. We all know the old school tree tree-swing project management cartoon, yet we eventually fall prey to the faults it illustrates, and then watch our unhappy customers walk away.
So where does the magic come from? Is it saying “no” or saying “yes”? In truth, it is being true to the customer. More often than not, by telling a customer what they need to hear instead of what you (or they) think they want you to say, you become a trusted advisor.
Here are some simple "9" rules I have seen work with most clients