If I asked you who your boss was, you would probably tell me that your immediate supervisor is your boss. Or maybe you would say it’s the president of your company. Or maybe you’ll tell me that you’re the boss because you run your own business.
You’re wrong.
Your real boss, the one that truly counts, is your customer. Every employee in your office works for the customer. Customers should be the ones running the show. If a customer wants a new office chair delivered by tomorrow afternoon, you make it happen. If your customer wants coffee with skimmed milk and two sugars, you make it just like they want it.
Employees are earning a customer’s money, not the CEO or owner’s. Jeffrey Gitomer makes this point perfectly in Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless:
“When your company’s cash flow can’t make payroll – the CEO doesn’t run home and break his piggybank to meet the obligation. Rather he screams – “Collect more money! – Make more sales!” (42)
Since the customers put food on your table, you want to avoid upsetting them. Because what happens when customers get angry? They leave. Oftentimes, we refer to this as “losing a customer.” But you didn’t just “lose a customer,” you got fired. That’s right, fired. The customer said, “I don’t need you anymore.” And then they took their money elsewhere. Isn’t that what happens when your manager fires you?
So you can continue to eat, here are some tips to prevent this from happening.
How to Avoid Getting Fired By the Customer
- Show a personal interest in your client. Connect with them on another level outside of the business transaction.
- Smile. Don’t greet customers with anger, ambivalence, or apathy.
- Do what you say you’re going to do. If you say you’re going to call this afternoon, call. If something comes up, apologize and call as soon as you can. A client needs to be able to trust you.
- Be knowledgeable about your products/services and your company. Don’t make things up if you don’t know the answer. Find somebody that can help.
- Act professionally. Customers want to know that they’re purchasing a high-quality product from people with a good reputation.
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