The customer is always king – here’s why
The idea that the customer is king has become a cliche. It’s been argued and counter-argued over the ages; the fact is, though, it’s TRUE. Treat your clients like royalty and you could have the keys to the treasure house…
Taking care of your customers means looking at the way you run your business, the service you provide, and the products you offer. Everything you do should be designed, produced and marketed with your customers’ happiness and wellbeing in mind. And it’s another cliche, but if you look after these particular pennies, the pounds can start looking after themselves.
Firstly, think about the way the customer sees a situation. They may not be right (indeed, they might be completely wrong) but they’re entitled to an opinion, and if you fail to respect it, you could be opening up all kinds of trouble. Make them feel wonderful – even if it grates a little with you – and they’ll come back to spend more money with you.
Of course, the internet means we’re more able than ever before to share our good and bad experiences with others. Word of mouth has never been so powerful as a way of getting recommendations – or, if you get something wrong, as a way for your reputation to be destroyed. It doesn’t matter how hard you’ve worked to promote yourself… if a well-written but scathing review of your services goes viral, all the glossy advertising in the world won’t save you.
And remember, it’s often easier to sell to existing clients than to constantly find new ones – if the customer is king, you might already be surrounded by profitable nobles. Build relationships with the customers you already have. Think about how you could serve them better. Let the products you offer be inspired by what your customers tell you they need. Keep them happy, and they’ll tell all their business associates about you; and as we all know, a recommendation based on experience is always the best recommendation!
Why not take a look at our post on the importance of retaining your customer base, for further information and ideas?
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