Client satisfaction is an
objective for which every business owner must strive. What does that phrase
mean? Doesn’t every business want to satisfy the client in every business
transaction? Doesn’t every business maintain that they always provide client
satisfaction every day? Providing client satisfaction is one of those objectives
that sounds so great when we hear it or when we say it ourselves. What does it
actually mean in our business lives?
When any business contracts with a client, there are certain
requirements on the part of each partner in that transaction. The client agrees
to remit an agreed upon payment in return for delivery of a product or service.
When those requirements are fulfilled, the contract is said to be completed and
everyone is believed to be happy. What about when one of the partners in the
transaction is not happy even though the terms of the contract have been
fulfilled?
In every transaction there may be problems in its
completion. Just the fact that your business delivers the expected product or
service to the client does not mean that they are happy with the transaction.
Was the transaction completed on time; was the product or service that was
delivered as it was expected by the client? Was it the correct color, shade of
color, size, or composition? Did the product perform as expected or did the
installer provide the expected service? What about delays by customer service,
or was the customer service representative rude or not well trained? Is there adequate
or correct documentation?
All these questions and many more, may “taint” the buying
experience for the client. The client may receive the product or service which
the sale involved, but was the experience pleasant or was there something that doesn’t
“sit well” with the client. You may believe that delivering the expected
product or service is enough, but how you do it may destroy your relationship
with the client for the future. Being unaware, or uncaring, of the mental state
of the client after the sale is completed may doom your future business with
that client.
Do you ever follow up with clients and ask them how they feel
about their buying experience? Do you ever actually thank them for their
business, either at the point of delivery, or later, or both? If they do not
enjoy the buying experience they will not recommend your business to anyone
else. They might like the product or service that you provided, but they may
hate the experience that resulted in their obtaining whatever you sold to them.
They will go elsewhere the next time that they have a need, and they will refer
their friends to that same provider.
By staying in contact with your clients, you open the lines
of communication and allow your clients to be comfortable enough to be honest
with you. If they are not comfortable in their relationship with you, they will
not continue to do business with you and will send others elsewhere when
referrals are involved. Delivering a product or service may not be enough; how
did you follow through during the process or afterwards?
As Jeffrey Gitomer says, "Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer loyalty is priceless."
ReplyDeleteDoing your job and giving the customer what he or she is paying you to do is no guarantee they will come back. You must make them feel important and special - that's what differentiates!