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The Guiding Assumption
What do you really think about your customers?
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Share this CRMAdvocate Story
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During a recent conversation with a client, I asked, "Why are your policies so restrictive? It seems as though you don't trust your customers."
"Well, that depends," the client replied.
When I asked him to elaborate, he said, "Let me give you some examples. In 1978, we had a customer who abused our generosity, so we needed to plug that hole. In 1997, we had another customer who took advantage of our return policy, so we made sure that will not happen again."
Put simply, my client's processes and procedures were a reflection of a few abusive customers he encountered as far back as 35 years ago. His organization's approach was that all customers are, in fact, similar to these abusive customers, leading him to the conclusion that all customers are cheaters unless proven otherwise.
This is, unfortunately, not an isolated case. We see a similar attitude at companies worldwide.
Relationships with customers are defined not by advertising campaigns, which are full of emotional images and unrealistic promises, but by the processes and procedures you establish to administer the relationships. These processes will guide your staff in their interactions with your customers. These processes and procedures will determine if you demonstrate trust in your customers. Are you willing to be generous?
Read the entire Lior Arussy article
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