“Your Customer is King (or Queen)!”

I had the pleasure of being in the company of a man, who has been in business for himself for over 30 years.  And during those 30 years, he’s run his business entirely from his home office.  No brick and mortar, a modest social media and web presence but 2500 square foot home office attached to his 6,000 square foot home.  Needless to say, this man has done very well for himself.  Granted, he may have multiple businesses, 1 partner and half a dozen of employees.  And even in this economic climate, his balances are still in the black.  Why: because he believes his customers are the King (or Queen).

With over 3,000 clients and over 30 years of a relationship building, you gotta wonderful how much could technology improve, if not boosts this man’s foothold in business, already.  But technology fall shorts of this man’s strategies that has earned him his success.  He doesn’t download an app, although he frequently talks to clients on his iPhone.   He doesn’t spend dead hours “Facebooking“, although he does have a Facebook page and you won’t see him at conventions, workshops or  seminars trying to get the latest news and updates on what’s taking place in the technology realm.  He leaves that for his employees and associates, if they so desire.   He credits his success to very small but very powerful practices, some of which many of us have heard of time and time again.

• Whenever he answers the phone, he smiles.  Or laughs.  He makes sure he is always in a pleasant mood.  No matter if it’s a telemarketer, a wrong number or a prospect client.
• Whether he’s calling someone over the phone or writing them an email (yeah, he does email.  He’s says because it’s faster than the fax), he makes sure to greet them and ask them how are they doing before discussing any business.
• Because English is his 3rd language, he talks at a slower pace so that everything he says is understood the first time.
• “There is no such thing as ‘I don’t know’.  If a customer calls and wants information I don’t know, I simply tell him, ‘let us find out together’.”
• The customer is KING.  Without the customer, there is no business, no one to serve, no revenue coming in.  Always treat your customer like a King or Queen.  Yes, there will be times you cannot please everyone because your resources are limited, but you do what you can with what you have.

No matter your field, industry, service, product, or niche, every business has customers.  Even if that business’ customers are other businesses.  And important to treat your customers well, because without them, there is no business.  Whether you want to be in business for three years or 30 years, your customer is KING.

 

 

[*Photo Source: freedigitalphotos.com — Digitalart and Thanunkorn , respectively]