Maintaining Authenticity When Networking With Other Businesses

I was recently asked "When business owners are promoting other businesses as part of networking, how can you keep authenticity?  Doesn't it come down to "I promote your business so you promote mine."?

In many respects, business owners promoting each other has a "quid pro quo" feel to it.  It's easy to fall into that trap.

Here's the issue: who benefits from this type of relationship?  The customer or the business owner?

That test for whom we recommend should be similar values, not mutual back-scratching.  The point of promoting another business to our customers is that the recommended service will produce excellent results and save our customer from searching high-and-low for that service on their own.  Our customers will trust our recommendation ... because they trust us.  Because we are good, they expect that those we promote will also be good -- similar to us in effort and results.

What happens if those we recommend fail to achieve the customer's goal or satisfy them?  It will bounce back on us.  It will change how they think about our business.  It may even cost us future business.

As business owners, we should think of mutual promotion more as a mirror: a reflection on us, a reflection of us. It is not enough to be mutual back-scratchers.  Make sure that those you recommend are similar to you in values, business philosophy, effort, delivery and value.  That is how customers will see it.

My Favorite Customer Service Story

Back in the day, I was a computer programming consultant at a large steel mill in Baltimore.  Many of the steel workers did not like nor trust us tie-wearing, college educated types and, in my role, I worked closely with many of them.  

One in particular continually expressed his distain for us "computer-types."  Need-less-to-say, not many of us enjoyed working on a project with him.

One such project fell to me and, after installing the software fix, I discovered that I had made a coding mistake that immediately affected all of data output of that program.  I was able to quickly change the code to process correctly and then went into the database and replaced the data output with the correct totals -- all likely completely invisible to the user.  He wouldn't have to know that I made a mistake and I wouldn't have to deal with the user's anger ... and cursing. "What they don't know won't hurt them (or me)."

While lots of folks hold to that quote, there's a lot to be said for being honest and transparent, especially in business practice and customer service.  I decided to suck it up and let him know what had happened and that it had been fixed with no impact.

I took a big breath and dialed his number, telling him that the fix had been installed and a discovered error corrected.  I was greeted with silence ... and expected the worse.

"Let me tell you, Steve.  You are the first computer-type that I've dealt with in all my years who has ever admitted a mistake.  Thank you for finding it and correcting it, and letting me know about it."

Whew!!

Several weeks later, I needed to go out into the mill to meet with another user on a different issue.  He spotted me as soon as I entered the area.  Even though our conversation had gone better than imagined, actually facing him put me on edge.

He walked up, put his arm around my shoulder, walked a couple of feet to a couple of other workers standing nearby and said, "Guys, this is Steve -- that computer guy I was telling you about.  If you ever have a problem or question, this is the guy to go to.  You know it will be done right."

Being honest with customers, especially when the news isn't great, is the best policy.  That's common sense, but often hard to practice.

When you're facing a similar crossroad, consider taking the road less traveled.

The Customer Is Always ...

"The Customer is Always ... "

Okay, fill in the rest of this quote.  

I am confident that most folks will complete it with the word "right."  "The customer is always right."  That is what we've been taught for ... ever.

If you've ever worked on the front lines, directly interacting with customers, you know that the customer is not always right, nor can you give the customer exactly what they want to stay happy, nor can you break a federal, state or company regulation just because the customer asks you to do so.

When you tell the customer "I can't," how does that customer too often respond?

Yeah.

Not that the customer is "wrong," mind you, or that the other department or the federal government or your boss is "wrong" either.  There is often a good reason why you cannot oblige the customer's demand.

The point of this is not debate whether government is too involved in small business, or federal financial regulations are misguided, or your boss is rigid, or that other departments in your company are always difficult to deal with.  Frankly, most customers don't care about any of those things.  All they know is that they are not happy -- even if they're not right.

Think a moment on the implication of the quote when it is completed with the phrase  "the customer."  "The customer is always the customer."  

Right or wrong, he or she is always your customer.  It's not really about who wins the "right vs. wrong" battle.  In fact, it shouldn't even be a battle at all.  Without your customers, you'll be right and they'll be wrong ... and likely soon be out of business.

A man walks into a fast food hamburger place and tells the person behind the register that they have a taste for some really good steak along with a salad and a baked potato all-the-way.  "We only offer what is up on the sign behind me," counters the attendant, without looking up but with an attitude.  "So what," barks the man.  "I am your customer -- been here dozens of times -- and tonight that's what I want."  

"You must be crazy.  We've never sold steak here in our life.  I can't help you, man."  And looking past the man, the register attendant asks the person behind him, "How can I help you?"  The man shoots back "That's the last time I will ever eat here! And I have lots of friends."

Was the fast food attendant wrong?  Was the customer?  Could the attendant have possibly met that difficult man's needs?

Common sense tells you that the customer was wrong.  Even if you believe that "the customer is always right," there simply wasn't anything the attendant could do.  Other than a gracious tone and a smile, nothing could be done to satisfy that guy.

Again, common sense tells you the customer was wrong but, if you believe that "the customer is always the customer," that attendant could have attempted to help that long time customer by offering a suggestion of where a good steak could be found nearby and help him find his way there ... thanking him for stopping by and encouraging him to stop by when he craves a good burger and fries.

"The customer IS always the customer."  And sure, there are things we cannot do for a customer.  The key is how we interact with that customer, not telling him or her what we cannot do but working with customer to do the best we can to (1) hear them out and (2) satisfy their underlying need.

After all, the goal is to turn a customer into a long-term, satisfied client who will not only return again and again, but will tell their friends about us.  It's not enough just to get customers -- it's as important, if not more so, to keep them.

Customer … Or Client?

“Customer … Or Client?”

Who do you want to have: customers or clients?

“What is the difference,” you ask?

By definition, a customer “buys goods or services from a business,” while a client“ is someone who engages with the services of a professional.”  

A customer “buys” from an entity or organization; a client “engages” with a professional person.

A customer is often one-and-done, laying down their cash money for a specific thing and leaving, while a client returns time-and-again because his/her needs are met (even exceeded) by the expertise of the service professional.

A customer may never return again.  A client values your brand, service, and knowledge, and will drive across town past many other options.

How do you tell if your buyer is a customer or client?  

In almost every case, you won’t know your buyer’s mindset.  They may ask “Where do I find the widgets?” or say, “I need your help determining which widget is best for me.”  The first is looking for a product, while the second is seeking your insight and guidance.

What you can control is whether YOU look upon your buyer as a customer or client.  If you reply to “Where do I find the widgets?” with “They are in aisle 12,” you possess a customer mentality.  If instead you ask,“What specific type of widget can I help you with?” or “If you don’t mind me asking, for what type of project do you need a widget?” you are definitely client-focused.

If your first response to “I need your help determining which widget is best for me” is “They are aisle 12.  If you need help, just come and find me” and walk away, you are almost certainly customer-oriented … and odds are that not only won’t he/she buy from you, but she/he’ll likely never come back again – and tell 10 friends about that less-the-satisfying experience!

There are many things you can do to build a loyal, highly-satisfied, tell-my-friends, return-business client-based culture.  Stay tuned for more advice in future posts.

Hope you’ll come back again! Thanks for reading.