There almost isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t hear someone tell me about how they lost a customer to their competition. Upon further inspection there are all sorts of reasons such as price, terms, product availability, better expertise, or a host of other so called “reasons” why they defected. BUNK!
OK, sometimes this might be true and out of your control. But from my experience and what I have seen for many years, and even more so these days, these aren’t the real reasons at all – it is the lack of a consistent and desirable customer experience. The lack of a consistent and “customer-focused” customer experience is the primary reason customers leave companies and go to the competition.
Remember, everyone basically hates change. We drive the same way to work, we get dressed the same way in the mornings, we do a lot of activities because they are consistent and we feel comfortable with them – the same way your customer feels (or should feel) about you. Because of this phenomenon of human behavior, the key is to understand first hand the experience your customer wants (ask them) and then design the way you operate to consistently deliver these experiences. If you do, amazing things will happen – they will actually stay with you even though the competition lowers their price.
Learn about your customer – in depth. Ask the “right” questions to get the “right” answers that they really want you to know to serve them. Forget the survey process (topic of another blog) and build (or hire) a process to get the “good stuff” from them – this will give you a much stronger advantage and lead over your competition – more than cutting price by a few bucks.
Blaine
twitter: @BlaineMillet
