What Can We Learn From Our Customers?

“People do business with people,” as the saying goes. And it’s true, relationships matter. But I would extend that further and say that people do business with experts. And that’s true on both sides of the transaction. When an expert is hired to provide a service, the customer is also an expert in their field.

If a significant retailer hires you, for example, they have expertise in merchandising, sales, branding, operations, and customer relations. Or suppose you happen to be working for a major tech company, a pharmaceutical brand, a university, or any enterprise, large or small. In that case, you’re surrounded by inspiring and compelling examples of success.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about customer relationships and how they’re actually an exchange of knowledge. The best customer relationships?that grow over time and continue to provide opportunity are the ones with a shared respect for one another’s expertise.

Think about it for a moment. Who are your best customers? The ones you’re always happy to hear from — or even when you’re not satisfied, you still appreciate what they’re bringing to the table. You trust them because they’ve built something that lasts, and they have many skills to make that happen.

When you work with these great customers, ask yourself, what can you learn from them?

Over the decades I’ve been in business, I’ve been fortunate to maintain several customer relationships that have produced a positive exchange of expertise. Here are a few things I’ve learned.

Being Authentic

One of the international retail brands that we have enjoyed working with for going on 12 years has shown me a lot about authenticity. Many people claim they’re being authentic, but this is a brand that demonstrates it on every level. When I create sound systems for their stores, they want everything to be the best possible technology. Nothing is done just for looks. “We don’t want to trick our customers; we want to provide authenticity,” they emphasize.

And I’ve noticed that this ideal extends to customer interaction in their stores as well. No matter how big they’ve gotten as a retailer, they’ve maintained a boutique mentality. Sales associates show genuine interest in people who walk through their doors, and those potential customers begin to feel comfortable and engaged in the process. They feel valued. A connection is made, and that keeps them coming back.

Do They Love the Brand?

This leads to something else I’ve learned. How are you remembered as a brand? From the earliest days of my company, I’ve talked about creating interactions that make people fall in love with our brand. Throughout the process, think about how you can increase trust and make people love doing business with you and your company. How do you gain customers? How do you hold on to customers? What makes people want to come back?

Once again, we can learn a lot from our customers. Pay attention. What are great companies doing that we can adopt into our businesses?

Experience is Not a Commodity

All of these ideas contribute to the overall value of your business. If you are authentic and people love your brand, you provide genuine service to your customers. Remember that what you offer is something beyond the hardware you’re selling and installing.

Too many people fear they’re becoming a commodity, especially with competition from big box stores and online retailers. But those aren’t your actual competitors — they’re not even in the same category as you. If you drive the business through quality, you’re providing something of real value.

Why? Because you’re providing something beyond products and getting into selling experiences. Another thing I’ve learned from our most valued customers is about the increased focus on customer experience. What we do as an industry definitely boosts that factor.

It starts with how we treat our customers and, beyond that, our customers’ customers. If you have a vision for something, whether it's a conference room, an auditorium, a restaurant, or a stadium, you're building a space to satisfy a customer. And your approach should be that everybody is a customer of your brand. When somebody walks into that venue, their experience reflects on your business and?your customer’s business.

As businesses, we are linked by expertise and the desire to authentically connect with our customers.

What is a Customer?

As I was thinking about how we create value for our customers, I started thinking about how some companies we work with enhance their brand with language. It begins with what they call the people who purchase their goods or services. More and more, it seems preferential to use the terms “clients” or “guests” instead of “customers.”

Have you found this in your own business? I’m curious, do you refer to the people you’re working for as clients, guests, partners, or customers? I’d love to know what you think in the comments below.

No matter how we refer to the people we do business with; we should also call them experts. There’s always something to learn from the people building their brand alongside your own. That’s the best way to create the authentic experience everyone is craving!

About Essential Communications

Essential Communications is a provider of Audiovisual and Integrated Experiences utilizing leading-edge technologies that deliver outcomes. Our award-winning designs have been featured in projects across the United States, Canada & Europe. We are reinventing experiences in retail, hospitality, and professional workplaces by designing and installing technology and data infrastructures that are built to last and improve operations.?#makeasoundinvestment