We’ve just finished with Halloween. Two nights ago, we watched our kids go out dressed up as princesses and Transformers and Batman. They put on their carefully-considered costumes and went out into the night, and came back with what they wanted: candy. Then they took their costumes off (well, some of them did — my son didn’t) and went to bed and fell asleep and the next morning, normal life resumed.
There is no customer.
Just like our Halloweenified children, customers aren’t really customers. They look like customers when they put on their customer costumes (say that five times fast) and go out to get what they want, but when they come home, their customer costumes are placed aside and they’re just normal people again.
They were never really Customers to begin with. They were Human Beings with cleverly-sewn Customer hats.
“That’s ridiculous,” you will say. “You may as well say that nobody’s an Accountant, they’re just a Human Being with a cunning Accountant disguise.”
“Yes,” I will say, “that’s pretty much exactly right.”
See, the businesses that do amazingly well in terms of employee satisfaction are the ones that realize that their employees aren’t Programmers and Marketing Directors and Janitors; they’re Human Beings who occasionally wear those hats, and they need to be treated like Human Beings rather than like Programmers an Marketing Directors and Janitors. Time and again, we see that Programmers whose Human Being needs are met at work are happier and more productive than Programmers whose employers treat them like they’re Programmers all the time.
Likewise, the businesses that do amazingly well in terms of customer satisfaction are the ones that realize that their customers are really just Human Beings who happen to be buying things from them.
What’s the difference?
It’s pretty simple.
If you treat someone like a Customer, then your goal is to get them to Buy Your Stuff. Maybe your stuff is right for them. Maybe it’s not. Maybe you massage the truth a little bit in order to get that extra $10 in the till. Maybe you steer the customer toward the product that’s a little lower-quality but has a higher margin. Maybe – Heaven forfend – you outright misrepresent what you’re selling in order to get people to buy from you.
If you treat someone like a Human Being, then your goal is to Meet Their Needs. You think about what they actually want. If your stuff is right for them – if you, in their position, would feel okay accepting what you’re offering, knowing what you do about it – then you offer it to them.
And if it’s not – maybe it’s not quite right, or maybe they just don’t have that extra $50 to spend right now, or maybe they’re in the wrong store entirely by mistake – then you direct them to someone who can fill their needs.
And they’ll remember the Human Being who was willing to say “I don’t have what you need, but Sarah across the way does,” instead of pressuring them into something they didn’t want and need.
So how do I do it?
The next time a Customer walks into your store, help them take off the Customer mask. Find out what the Human Being underneath wants and needs, and then help them find it. Even if it means that money doesn’t make its way into your pocket today, they’ll remember you for being honest with them. And when your stuff does meet their needs, they’ll be back.
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Chris A., LaVonne Ellis. LaVonne Ellis said: Day 2: There Is No Customer [by @etherjammer ] http://is.gd/gCY09 #customerlove […]
[…] Chris Anthony, aka @etherjammer, writes a compelling post on the customerlove site, reminding us that we serve human beings, not customers. […]
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This is so awesome Chris! When I do an exploratory session with a potential client/customer I consciously ask myself before they call, “How can I be of service to this person?” so that I get in touch with that rather than thinking in the background, “will this person become a paying client?”
Human beings, connection, serving each other – that’s what provides value and that’s what has them send referrals so that business can grow naturally. Moral of the story? Happy humans give back (law of reciprocity I think) and isn’t that what #customerlove is all about?
Back in the day when I made my money, through a corporation, by the means of the sales-hat I was a top earner. I got great commissions and then my company would ask me to go forth and teach others how to do what I had done (because clearly, more people closing deals was good for the company).
And my students, most fresh out of school eager to earn big commissions were so very disappointed to hear me drive home the point, “Your customers are people, only sell them what they need. There is no trick. It’s humanity.”
And uh, yeah,many of my higher ups weren’t too keen on my immobility when it came to this stance and it was sort of scary to watch the veins pop out of their foreheads when I’d tell them that I wasn’t going to force some nice old fella with an old military insignia tattooed on his arm that he had to change the plans of his reunion (the party line was because we had some renovations that were set to begin but the truth was there was a more lucrative group that wanted the space).
Great post Chris. And I hope your little one is out of his batman costume by now!
Peggie
Great post, Chris!
This is one reason why I like to refer to my customers — even those who buy products rather than services — as “clients.” It implies more of a human relationship; this is someone you’re *taking care of*, not just selling to.
Here’s something else:
It can be awfully tempting when someone wants to give you money for something that’s not right for them, but in the long run, everyone will be better off if you honestly explain why they shouldn’t buy it.
An example:
I had a client earlier this year who was paying a thousands of dollars for a custom, hand-painted and calligraphed ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) for his daughter. He actually asked me if he should order a second ketubah for his younger daughter now… even though she was only 18 and not even in a serious relationship!
I confess there was a split second when I *imagined* taking that money (I really could’ve used it right then…) But it just didn’t make sense!
His younger daughter might not want a ketubah exactly like her sister’s. And even if she did, she might very well change her mind by the time she gets married. And what about her potential future fiance — what if he wants something different? Or perhaps she never wants to get married!
I gently talked the enthusiastic client out of it and concentrated on making a piece of art that he, his daughter and future son-in-law would totally love.
Customer love. 🙂
Oh. I like that. Using “client” instead of “customer” to reinforce the idea of taking care. Thanks for such a great example of doing the right thing.
Melissa, that is the EPITOME of Customer Love. So impressed!
I had a similar experience when someone booked me for a voice coaching session, paid in advance, and told me she was having a problem with her voice that I couldn’t fix. She needed a trained therapist, not a coach. I refunded her money and recommended she see a specialist. Others told me I should have taken the money and had the session anyway. The good news is that she saw the specialist, got therapy, and is getting better. She told me she was devastated when I turned her away — which I feel awful about — but now she’s grateful. Phew!
My youngest nephew wore his Spiderman costume to bed for an entire *year* 🙂
You raise an excellent point with this post. And at the same time, I feel a bit sad that you actually have to *say* it. (And from some of the stuff I’ve read lately, yes…someone needs to say it.) Here’s to remembering that everyone we deal with is a Human Being first…and whatever role they’re playing for the moment, second.
@Peggie – I love to hear that you could be honest, treat people like people and still be the top producer! That’s very inspiring.
Patty, I’m in love with your nephew. 🙂
Yes, it is sad that Chris had to point out that customers are human beings. Odd too, because we’ve all experienced being treated as customers and NOT human beings. You’d think we’d learn from the experience. *sigh*
I applaud the savvy marketers who “get” it. It can be hard at times, to put on your customer/client hat and look at your business from a buyer/consumer perspective. I’ve found it a great exercise tho – and one that usually helps me fine tune the info I’m sharing with those who want/need what I’m offering.
Can I also share a concept that has had me really stuck in the past? We assume we know what people mean when often we insert our own version of their feedback. It’s hard not to. But if you can, try to frame questions/feedback/objections from your client’s POV. It can be magic!
Great advice, Phyllis, thanks!