Customer is Business
Every person knocking your shop is your potential customer, irrespective of the fact that he is going to buy your product/service or not. Be happy, that he has knocked the door and given you an opportunity. Sadly, in practice, customers who walk-in are seen as hindrances, when the executive is busy answering another customer. Also, the respect and attention given to a customer who asks for a cheaper or not-so-interesting product, is way behind when compared to the one buying an expensive product. This attitude would turn away a golden goose to our competitor. For what you may not know, he would have remembered and come back and bought the expensive product, when he needs, from you, If you had served him better.
Understand your Customer
Many of us assume that we understand our customer's need or problem, depending on the situation. But in most of the cases, we would be offering a different product/service/solution which doesn't suit his requirement.
So, pre-requisite to managing customers is to understand them. How do we understand our customers? Play His Role. And there you understand what he wants.
Here goes a classic answer from Henry Ford, fore-runner in auto-mobiles industry, for a question which reads "How do you design such beautiful, user-friendly cars?" - "Before designing a car, I play the role of a Car to understand how it would react to the bumps and pitfalls on roads, sudden brake etc., That helps me a lot to understand a car and design it better."
In simple terms, think and analyze how you would react and what you would want if you were the customer. This would make your customers stand by you.
Be with the Customer
Customers are known for asking more for less, well that's human nature. This doesn't mean, that he is trying to take advantage of you. He is trying to get good value for his money. The executive must remember not to become defensive with the customer, rather explain and make the customer understand on values offered for the price and how beneficial its going to be for the customer. Most important of all, irrespective of the customer's buying decision, sincerely thank the customer while he leaves your premises.
Support the Customer, in its true sense
Its highly disappointing these days, to see customers being supported (!!!), mechanically, with a pre-defined set of questions and answers. Customer Support is not all about questions and answers. We need to show our empathy towards the customer, who has come to us with a problem. Many of us, see "Customer" as a "Problem". In reality, Customer is facing a Problem because of our product/service and it is our duty to solve it for him.
Ideally, even if there exists no solution to the problem, with just providing a workaround with a right mix of empathy towards the customer, he would be more than happy, even if he hasnt got his problem solved.
Remember, People might forget the problem/solution, but would never forget the way you made them feel. And, this is what will make them come back to you, for a different product/service.
This is not just a way to get repeat sales from the customer, but it would end up in referral sales too. Now, Referred Sales are generated by your happy customers, without you spending on marketing/sales strategies. This referral sales is what ends up in making you a big hit in the market and it would also add on to branding yourself, without extra cost.
Now, this series of important actions and end results is what contributes to Customer Relationship Management, which is CORE to any business.
Say "No" to Customer, when required and relevant
Nowadays with all the hype about Customer, giving everything the customer wants is rocket science. It may be possible but might carry limitations. In such cases, it is advisable that the customer is being explained of the constraints is everything he wants and provide him with alternative solutions. Most importantly, ensure to sound assertive and polite rather than being aggressive. When you provide the customer with alternative solutions along with being assertive and polite, you gain the confidence of the customer that you have understood his requirements and not letting him down.
