Reading this today connects to what I’ve thought since I started in business in 1989.
When I started in tech in 1989 I had one thought. I think Peter Drucker said it.
“It’s your customers, who are your best sales people”.
My thought was that if I showed up every day with the thought that my customers are my gold and without them I have nothing, I’d have a good chance of making it. I operated each day with the belief my business was all about my customers, not me.
Today in tech there are no customers – they’re users. That thought is so wrong.
You wanna build a great business, brand or career? Quit following the herd and buying into the lie that social media is your darling. Instead, take all that money and time you dedicated to social media and put it to this thought: It’s your customers, who’re your best sales people. Rephrased, take Steve Martin’s advice: “Be so good they can’t ignore you”.
If you work for a company that calls customers users, that’s the first and only sign you need that they’ve got it wrong. Run, don’t walk, away.
Follow Peter Drucker’s and Steve Martin’s thought. Do it all day, every day, you’ll be successful. I promise you.
I agree with the sentiment of this entirely. Seen it over & over: ensure people (aka customers) you value their business – better yet, actually care about them – and create a personal connection. They are far more likely to come back to you.
How about from the other direction – what about employees? Do you think using technology to serve customers better is one solution?
Thinking of the evil empires… cable + communications companies :)
Here’s one example: http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2016/11/18/cogito-raises-15m-series-b-plans-to-double-workforce/
A buddy of mine works for a larger company doing this kind of thing; Salesforce recently backed up a Wells Fargo truck to acquire them…
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing and hearing from your customers, directly. They LOVE you. Given your business and product, and the fantastic customer relationships you’ve built… Thoughts?
Monday AM love from snowy New England!
Thats how I’ve built my business as well. There is a stat out there that states every person knows twelve Realtors…the question is then how do you separate/differentiate yourself so that your not a commodity to your customers. The answer is pretty simple, don’t treat your customers as a commodity either. Provide value for them all the time not just at the time of sale. Each day is an opportunity to add value to one of my best customers…who can I touch today?