PUT YOUR CLIENTS FIRST
Whatever joy there is in this world
All comes from desiring others
to be happy,
And whatever suffering there is
in this world
All comes from desiring myself
To be happy.
Shantideva
I came upon this quote this morning and it made me think about the today’s business landscape. On the whole, customers have become second to business survival. I will agree that today’s business climate is difficult. Although, it is amazing that some business owners think they can succeed by shrinking their service while raising prices. That is not a plan for long-term success. What happened to putting the client first? When did that concept go out of style? I recently heard from an associate who told me about a business owner who is celebrating the Libyan crisis by increasing his company’s fuel surcharge. It is important to note that this increase is not shared with his service providers. He has succeeded in profiting from tragedy and in doing so he has failed his customers along with his service providers. This business owner’s human failing is another topic, but it does highlight how desperation can overshadow judgment. Considering that he is not sharing this increase with the companies that actually provide the service, he could have held the current rates in place and used this good-will as a marketing platform. Instead, he has left himself vulnerable. He is risking the ire of his clients and his providers.
The more I thought about the importance of putting the client first, the more convinced I became that it was important to stress this point. The reason for my determination is that today’s economic climate has created an environment where customers sense that they are being viewed as victims. They have become someone for businesses to fleece. I find it amazing that as most businesses retreat into a survival mode they have forgotten that the customer actually represents survival. In some instances the customer is viewed as an annoyance. During tough times, businesses look for ways in which they can suck additional revenue out of their customers. On top of raising prices, many companies are using fees as a way to generate additional revenue and there does not appear to be any end to this practice. Companies have grown accustomed to the additional profits and consumers have become resigned. Fees are not the only method companies use to capture revenue. Many organizations have reduced their services while raising prices. Usually, these service reductions are not announced and may, at first, be invisible to the customer. They are usually uncovered during a service or product failure which then results in amplifying the customer’s disappointment. Although consumers feel nickel and dimed, they no longer have an option when it comes to changing vendors. Each business within their specific industry seems to be following the competition.
This is a time of great opportunity. Instead of mimicking your competitor’s actions, you should be focusing on the customer. By breaking from industry trends, your organization will stand above the competition. I am going to suggest that by eliminating fees for services that where once provided at no cost, you will generate good will and the resulting buzz will assist you in broadening your client base. There is no better time than now to look for ways to enrich your customer’s experience. While your competitors find new ways to aggravate their customers, you should be identifying ways in which you can attract new customers. While your competitors continue to create new ways to decrease service while increasing price, you should be creating ways to increase service while decreasing price.
