Back in the day, when a little-known Seattle-based clothing retailer started turning heads with its exceptional service, you had to be pretty good to be noticeably different to customers. Nordstrom emphatically showed — through dramatic growth and the development of an iconic service brand — that customers respond to that proposition with their wallets.
But decades have passed; now, the world seems to have grown smaller and faster, with the Internet — more often than not — becoming our cold, faceless sales clerk (with the occasional exception, like Zappos). You might wonder: Does a “service” model matter anymore in this world of self-checkouts and online shopping? The answer is yes. In fact, it might matter more.
Here my top five secrets to creating rapid, sustainable growth for your business while addressing your customers’ needs:
1. Recognize and Celebrate That Everyone Has a Customer
The organizations that succeed are infused with cultures that recognize that every single person in the world has a customer. I don’t care whether you’re a customer service rep, a CEO, or a 14-year-old freshman — everyone has at least one customer they’re trying to please.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re external-facing or primarily focused on “internal” company tasks — everyone has a customer. The best organizations trumpet this fact and find ways to celebrate when their team members exceed a customer’s expectations.
This can happen through established recognition programs, or better yet, through one-on-one interactions with managers who recognize the team members who best serve customers. The focus shouldn’t be on creating competition; it should be on making sure your team is thoughtfully considering your customers.
2. Know and Understand Your Specific Customer
That means — by definition — that your customer can’t be everybody. The realization that not everyone is your customer may be just as important as acknowledging that everyone has one.
There’s been a lot of discussion surrounding the use of customer personas in marketing strategies to put shape to companies’ customers. It’s a practice we use often with clients, and it’s a great way to dive deeply into your customers’ unique wants and needs. Identifying the people you can best serve will, in turn, show you who isn’t your ideal customer.
3. Understand What Your Customer Is Hiring You For
I’ve seen many businesses (including our own) become more interested in what they would like to sell than in what their customer would like to buy. But that doesn’t make any sense, does it? Ask yourself whether you really understand what your customers want to buy — and whether you’re delivering what they want.
Recently, I worked with a client whose sales were falling off dramatically. After a quick examination, it was apparent that the company’s product had become commoditized, but was still being marketed at a premium. I asked, “What extra value is the customer getting?” His answer was “none.” He then said, “I know this is a problem, but our revenue projections require our pricing to stay at that level.”
Anyone see a problem here?
4. Ask Yourself, “Are They Getting Enough Value?”
While you’re at it, ask yourself whether you’re delivering something valuable when you make a sale. In particular, ask yourself this key question: “Knowing all that I know about our service and competitors, would I use my own money to buy from us?”
Are you sure about your answer? If you are, you’re in business. If not, then you’d better get to work. By pinpointing the problems you have with the product — whether it’s the size, fit, or ease of use — you can start outlining the problems your customers have with it.
5. Say “Thank You”
This may be the single easiest thing you can do to turbocharge your business. By sincerely thanking your customer, you exponentially increase your chances of selling more in the future. Some of those sales will come through repeat purchases and others through referrals, but make no mistake: More sales will come your way.
Can businesses grow simply by providing their customers with brand-new products to replace the ones they’ve worn out, as Nordstrom did on its way to becoming legendary? Of course not! The businesses striving for quick growth will, however, take a page out of the Nordstrom playbook and pay attention — close attention — to everything surrounding their customers. Those businesses will be the ultimate winners.