We all know the age-old adage “The Customer is King” and have all learned that “the customer is always right”? In reality the customer is not always right, often they are wrong, very wrong, however, the customer's perception becomes their reality and influences them and the decisions they make about your business and their future engagement with you or your brand.

Have you done your numbers and worked out the cost of getting a new customer into your business vs. keeping an existing customer? Often we spend large amounts of money trying to attract new customers into our business, while not focusing on keeping the customers we have happy. Existing customers are great, often very cost-effective marketing tool for your business, if you keep them happy, they will help do the selling for you. We all know that word of mouth marketing and social media market has made it very easy and cost-effective to spread a good word.

On the topic of social media, are you managing your online reputation? Complaints spread like wildfire online, are you ensuring that you are getting the good news spread and quickly as the bad? When there is negative feedback spread online, have you got a plan in place to rectify problems and show others what true customer service is? People know companies will mess up, we are all humans after all,  so when things go wrong are you addressing the issues and complaints and using online as a tool to show others how you value customer complaints and feedback as a method of improving your service?

If you really want to see if you are making your customer king, put yourself in their shoes. Have you tested your own goods or services? I used the services of an online retailer last year Christmas and this is a question I asked their marketing director after trying desperately to get someone to resolve a query. If you want to know how you treat a customer in your business become one!

Learn how to WOW your customers, to get this right segment your customers, we know one size really does not fit all, neither does one approach customer engagement. If you really want to WOW your customers start treating them like royalty. I find it so personal when I walk into a retail store and am greeted by name when I hand over my loyalty card, why is this so important to me? Because it makes me feel valued and I believe I am not the only one who would agree with this point. 

Treating your customers as King needs your entire team to understand the customer's value. So steer away from the new age trend in South Africa … “PLASTIC” and really put together a plan for all staff, from shop floor level to the CEO, focus on really making the Customer your King.

If you need a plan to help you become a customer-centric organization contact me today,  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..