Everyone I talk to about helping their business be more “Customer Centric” says the same thing, “We really care about our customers.” It’s a standard knee-jerk response. It’s embarrassing to answer any other way. No one says, “We really don’t like our customers so why would we be customer centric?” No one.
You probably say the same thing, or some version of it…maybe you even say you “love” your customers. But do they really believe it…do they love you back? Do they talk about you frequently and tell all their friends about how awesome they are treated by you? Do they truly feel special or do you love them because they buy your products or services? This is the true benchmark of whether your customer “feels the love” you say you are giving them…if they love you back by investing their time and energy to talk about you.
Talk is cheap…we have all heard this phrase before. But to a customer, action is what speaks their language. When they hear this from a company, it is literally “blah blah blah.” They hear it but they don’t see it. They constantly hear how much they matter, but they don’t really feel it when they interact. It’s like the other old phrase, “Actions speak louder than words,” and they are monitoring your actions towards them as the customer. They stop listening…which means they stop talking.
What makes them stand up and take notice is WHEN SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPENS in how they are treated and how you make them feel. You have to actually do something that wakes them up…causing them to stop and say, “WOW, something is going on here, things are different, they are acting different and treating me really awesome.” Unless this happens, all your rhetoric about “how much you love your customers” falls on deaf ears.
It is meaningless…like speaking in a different language. And if you don’t believe me, simply ask yourself! That’s right, ask yourself the same question…because YOU ARE A CUSTOMER as well. You buy things and interact with companies and give them money. You are on the other side of the exchange.
Ask yourself…if you go in somewhere or talk to someone or shop online and nothing is really WOW or incredible or remarkable, do you pay attention? NO. You go through the motions of buying but you aren’t thrilled or excited about the interaction…just like your customers. You are simply buying a commodity (probably at the lowest price you found) and you move on.
Here’s the real problem with this happening today…more than any other time in our history. What do you think the odds are that you, or your customer, can’t wait to leave that interaction with you and go tell someone…in person or on social media. NONE. Absolutely no chance of this happening. Why would anyone take their time (which we are all short of these days) to tell someone else about how you gave them a mediocre experience. They don’t…
When people ask me how to get word-of-mouth going for their company…I have a simple answer, “STOP PRETENDING.” Thinking you have an awesome, can’t wait to tell someone else experience when in reality it is average or slightly above (or below) average isn’t going to make this happen. Sorry, we, as customers, simply don’t have the time nor the motivation to tell anyone else about you.
But you can get them talking…that’s the beauty of all this…and it’s COMPLETELY IN YOUR CONTROL. You get to make the decision of whether or not your customer will tell others about you. You have the power to create massive word of mouth for your company. You have the final say as to how your customers are treated…every day, every interaction. We blame our customers but in reality, ALL this is in our control. But…
You have to DO SOMETHING…create an EXPERIENCE for your customers that is remarkable, incredible, jaw-dropping…they have to feel you are OBSESSED with them and the experience they are having with your company. When you make them feel this way, amazing things happen! When the customer actually sees you are “all in” with wanting them to have an awesome experience they will act different…guaranteed. And they can’t wait to tell others about you. They know you aren’t PRETENDING any longer!
