Is the Customer always right? Yes, but only if they are the right customer.
What is the right customer? This is a person that can afford you, will benefit from you, and they have a desire to use you. This person is always right because they are the right fit for what you are doing and can be developed into a long term customer. They should drive you less crazy because they identify with the value of what you provide.
The key is branding yourself in a way that targets your key audience. If you cut thru the clutter on the front side, you will have less friction during the sales process. It’s not about getting as many people as possible through your door, it is getting the right person who is looking to buy. Greater success comes from going deep, not wide. You can’t be everything to everyone. Know your customer and service them as deep as possible.
It is easy to fall into the trap of collecting followers. Followers give the impression that you are succeeding but the only real barometer for success is the almighty dollar. Are you converting sales or just creating fans? It’s never how many, it’s always how much. This requires targeted advertising and specific communication with your marketplace.
Now that I know who I want as my customer and I am asking them for dollars, they are always right because I made the choice to work with them. Targeted consumers are giving you money because you recruited them. Stop complaining, they are there because you asked them to come. They are your guests and need to be treated as such. If you don’t want to deal, then don’t invite. It’s that simple.
Good management understands these things. Good management develops a staff that appreciates its customers and understands that the business is operating not because of the staff, but because of the clients. Negative staff forgets that they do not bring in dollars; they process dollars that clients bring in. It is a balance that creates positive business but no business can occur without clients.
Proper branding backed up by staff training is the key to creating a positive customer experience. Know your specific customer and make sure they feel that you are the right fit for them so they are always right and you are not creating an adversarial experience.
Brian Wright