Love your customers and give them what they love


Getting close to the clients is really a no-brainer. The better we understand them, the better we can serve them and the more likely they are to come back. Nevertheless, most firms tend to think of "the customer" as being someone extremely different from "the staff."

But in numerous cases the individuals running the business have very comparable interests to the individuals who come to invest their money there.

This really is particularly true in retail - individuals working in clothes shops have an interest in fashion, individuals working in music stores are usually keen musicians, individuals who become chefs have an interest in good food, and so forth. The question is, how do we turn our love of these things into a love of the clients?

Tim Waterstone opened his first bookstore in 1982: he needed a job, having just been fired by W. H. Smith. From the begin he aimed to share his personal love of books.

Customers had been encouraged to browse, to the extent that Waterstone provided seating so that individuals could read the books for a while if they wanted to.

There's nothing to stop someone sitting all morning reading, but in practice couple of individuals do this - they might read a couple of pages, but most of them purchase the book to read it at home.

Staff are chosen for their love of books, and for their knowledge of specific types of book - they are expected to be able to speak to clients on an equal level.

Senior management seem on the corporate website almost hidden behind their favorite books: each has produced a list of the books that have shaped their lives.

Waterstone's staff are always helpful, usually knowledgeable, not because they've been through a customer relations training course but simply because they appreciate sharing their love of books with like-minded people.

Decide why you wanted to work in the industry you work in. Think about your clients - do they've the same interest? Decide what you can do to encourage their interest and help them appreciate your mutual enthusiasm. Now find out whether your staff and colleagues really feel the same.

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This article was sent to us by: Jim C. Smith at 01202011

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