Surely everyone here heard about the phrase “the customer is always right”. But what about “Putting customers first“?
The latter one is not very commonly heard in the business world. But it is arguably as important as the first one.
In this article, we will go over why putting your customer first it’s important and how you should go about doing it.
I will start by telling you a quick story:
I recently moved into a new apartment (thanks to my online business endeavors. Thank God). Next to my apartment building (like 30 sec walking) is a small minimarket.
It’s not part of a big supermarket chain. It’s basically just you local family business.(1,2)
Obviously I started doing my groceries over there, as I would need to walk like 10 minutes until I see another shop. And keeping in mind how lazy I am, that was out of the question.
The market from next to my building has slightly higher prices on all the products. Which is understandable, as the universal law of supply and demand states.
I didn’t really mind the higher prices. What did bother me a little was that the stuff from the fridge was not cold.
I mean, if I pay a little more for a beer, e expect it to be cold, right?
Let’s say I can deal with that. Putting my beers in my own fridge for an extra 20 minutes is not that bad.
One day before I went out with my friends, I needed to change a larger bill to a couple of smaller bills (because I wanted to pay the taxi). I went and asked one of the members of the family who owns the shop to change one $10 bill.
His response was something like “Get out of here. Faster, I don’t have time for you.” Keep in mind that I was a daily customer to this shop for a couple of months already.
Needless to say, I’m never going to that minimarket again. A tornado can come to my city, and I would still rather walk an extra 10 minutes than give one more dollar to those people.
Hopefully I didn’t bore you too much with this story 🙂
So, keeping in mind the happiness of your customers is crucial in any type of business.
What does ‘Putting the Customer First’ mean?
Putting the customer first means that as a business, the first thing you need to think about is fulfilling your customer’s needs.
A business that does that, aims to create a relationship with the customer by providing value. Also, if possible, the business could try to go the extra mile to the best of its ability.(3)
The businesses that put the customer first pay extra attention to their audience by providing a good service. Maybe even a personalized service sometimes.
For example, if you go to your local shop, the cashier might know you on a first name basis. That can go a long way for the customer.
Think about it, don’t you prefer to go to some shops just because the staff is friendly? Most people do.
Another great example can come from the online business environment, specifically from email marketing. When you sign up to someone’s email list, you need to put in your email address and your first name.
The email marketing software then automatically includes your first name in whatever emails you are about to receive. That’s why email marketing is one of the best ways to make money online.
Businesses who have the “put the customer first” mentality are commonly referred to as “customer-centric” organizations. Because the customer is at the central priority in their business.
Some of the most renowned customer-centric organizations are Apple, Sony, McDonald’s or Ford. These are all very successful companies and for a good reason.(4)
They aim to provide the customer with the best possible service, at the most affordable price.
But how do they consistently do this? Well, they implemented this mentality in their corporate culture. All their employees, from the bottom up, know that the customer is the most important person in their organization.
If you want to have a successful business, you need to try to the best of your abilities to make your customers happy. Even if you have an online business that doesn’t change.
The people who come to your blog must feel good when they are reading your stuff (hopefully you’re not completely bored by now)
Why is it essential to put the customer first?
Putting your customer first is important because if you don’t fulfill their needs, they will be less likely to come back. Therefore, you will have a hard time creating recurring customers.
Also, keep in mind that your competition is probably doing this. So, your customer will most likely go to them instead.
Putting customers first is absolutely crucial because you want to gain their loyalty. Why do you buy Apple products? Why do you go to McDonald’s whenever you feel like eating some junk food? (Hopefully not that often).(5)
It’s because you are happy with the products and services that those companies provide. These companies know what you want and give it to you.
Also, they can afford to pay an army of psychologists in order to crack your emotional system and take as much money as possible from you. But let’s discuss that in another day.
How can businesses become more customer-oriented?
There are a couple of strategies that you can implement in your own business.
They are pretty straight forward if you ask me.
- Ask them what they want
- Give them what they want
- Make sure they receive what you give them
- Overdeliver (give them more than what they expected)
- Thank them
- Reward them with more stuff
- Ask for feedback
- Adapt over time
If you do at least half of these things, your business will 100% be more profitable in the long run.(6)
Try switching your mindset towards a more long term strategy. Because that’s what business is: a marathon, not a sprint.
Conclusion
Putting your customers first is very important for an organization. Even your local minimarket.
If you implement this mentality in your own business, you literally have a lot to win and nothing to lose.
Also, if you want to start a business or take your existing one to the next level, I suggest taking the One Funnel Away challenge. It will help you grow your business in any market.
I can tell you that it helped my business a lot. There were a lot of things that I’ve never thought of.
Remember: consistency is the key to success!
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Andrew is an entrepreneur and has been in the business game for a couple of years. Read more