I found myself thinking this evening about how my customers would answer the following questions, “What do you feel you took away from your time with my products and people?”  Was the experience enjoyable?  Was it something that seemed shallow and forced?  Was it productive?

The answer to these questions helps me to frame up how I encourage my employees to interact with our customers.  Simply having a customer say that the experience was good is not enough for me.  Fact is that most businesses, if they are to remain for the long term, are going to offer a “good” experience.  More importantly, is that experience going to offer a lasting memory that they will share with another.

Here is a practical example: Let’s say a long term customer calls me with an issue with regards to a change in my product offering.  The price has gone up a bit and there are a few products that we no longer offer.  How can I respond?  I can lower my price a bit, apologize for the inconvenience and offer something to replace it.  The customer will feel as though their concerns were addressed until the next issue comes up.

Now, lets say I’m in the same situation.  Knowing my customer’s and how they will react this this kind of situation, I make a personal phone call in advance of the change.  Then, once the change has been made I send 2 samples to the customer, assuming they will try one personally, and then give one to someone else to try.  Next I call, not for an order, but to address any concerns the customer might have.  Finally I mark in my calendar for a follow up call a few months down the road just to see how things are going.

In business we wind up with 100 things happening all at the same time.  It isn’t necessary to be proactive with each an every customer as that wouldn’t be an option, but understanding which customers are going to be most affected by change will allow you to build a plan to address any potential issues before they even flair up.  It is easier to poor water on dry grass before the fire starts than to even try to put out a small fire.

Customer’s remember those people who care enough about them as a customer to spend a little time and effort showing them they are appreciated.

So what’s the point?  Be Proactive