Are you spending enough time listening and learning from your customers?
14 July 2010
Sales Tip 14th July 2010
Are you spending enough time listening and learning from your customers?
Time to read this section 60 seconds, time well spent.
Back in May Donald Cooper was talking about listening and learning from your customers, and TV1's show "Undercover Boss USA" really showed us how much we can learn, and adapt our business to increase sales, consumer perception and staff moral by listening and learning from our customers.
I think now is a great time to revisit Donald Cooper's article from May...
A few weeks ago I worked with a company that has become the clear market leader in their field. They're also incredibly customer-focused and customer-passionate.
How did they do it? The business owner hired a Chief Operating Officer to run the business day to day so that he, the owner, could spend half his time travelling across the country visiting, listening to and learning from customers. This may be a bit extreme for you and your business, but I can practically guarantee that you're not spending enough time with your customers right now.
When we listen to our customers, two wonderful things happen. First, we learn from them and, second, we honour them. Both are important. But don't just drop by for a visit. Prepare a list of specific questions to determine what you're doing right, what needs fixing and how to fix it.
Years ago, Eaton's Department Store, Canada's national retail icon, installed a helicopter pad on the roof of their downtown Toronto head office so that their president could fly in from his country estate, land on the roof, descend down a flight of stairs to his office and never have to encounter a customer or front-line employee. When I heard that, I predicted that they'd be out of business within 10 years and, sadly, I was right.
Many businesses, even relatively small ones, have lost that all-important connection with customers...or, they've stopped caring. So, how much time do you spend listening to and learning from customers? Do you have a Customer Advisory Board that meets every four to six months? Do you get out from behind your desk and spend some quality time in the real world? Do you ever call your business when you're out of the office, just to see how the phone is answered?
And, if you can't get out as often as you'd like, do you listen to your front-line people? They know stuff...and they hate it when you don't ask for their insights and help.
So, what is your commitment to spend more time listening to customers...or listening.
Donald Cooper is a World Class business coach, whose clients include Microsoft who wrote the following testimonial for him; "Donald, as you know, I work with many different speakers and you definitely stand out amongst them. It is rare to see someone deliver a talk that mesmerises the entire audience! I'm pleased to confirm that you will be returning as the keynote speaker at our upcoming November Conference." - Training & Certification Manager, Microsoft
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