Everyone in business expects to get customers or clients. Normally if a product is sold then the buyer is called a customer, while if a service is sold, the buyer of the service is called a Client.
Everyone expects a smooth relationship with the customer or client. But does it happen that way? Maybe a few times yes, many a time No.
Why? In my view only because the customer or client was not the focus. The focus was the transaction, the sale. The customer or client did not feel that their requirements were noted, analyzed, and addressed. If at all, all this was done, the approach was more superficial.
In this article, I am trying to highlight a few areas, and facts and help you as a Reader to be more informed to make your decisions.
In my view, there are two main types of customers or clients. Intentional customers and Unintentional customers. The Intentional customers have decided to buy the product or service and are actively looking for sellers or service providers. It becomes easy to sell to these folks since they know what they want when they want and are ready to spend for it. These Intentional customers or clients have probably determined their needs, made some studies, educated themselves with availability, price, expected quality, etc. And they know exactly what they want.
Unintentional customers are customers or clients who are reluctant buyers of a product or service. They may be forced into buying or accepting a new product or service. Let me give an example. You decide to get a pet, a Dog at home. Your children may be happy and to please them you are doing this. But you may not have any intention to get the pet or look after the pet. And your spouse too may have very reluctantly agreed to the children’s request. From an unintentional customer or client, you become an Intentional customer. A clear example of an Unintentional customer
Another example is your TV or fridge or washing machine conks off, and you are forced to buy another one at the earliest. You are clearly an unintentional customer since you have no inclination to buy it, and may not have provided a budget for it as well. But at the same time, you go ahead and buy it, because it is a need of the hour. Another example could be your child wants a new mobile phone. Tantrums are thrown, screaming and shouting go on, until you as a parent give in. Again unintentional, the reluctant buyer.
The unintentional customer will keep finding faults with the new purchase, and all the doubts need to be clarified. The unintentional customer may also have to be educated and informed of all details of the product, item, pet if it is a pet, service, etc. Comparisons may have to be given. And then place the right pet, or item, or product or service as the case may be, in front of them. Reluctantly, the unintentional buyer may find a budget and make the purchase.
Then we come to External customers and Internal customers.
External customers buy your product or service. They pay for it. They give you the business. When we buy a product or service we are the External customer. In any organization, there are External customers because of whom the organization succeeds. These external customers purchase your products or service and hence your company earns revenue.
Internal customers are your organization's internal colleagues, your peers, your juniors, your seniors, your Management. Why? From your Juniors, you need to guide them, and get the work done from them. But your guidance and helping them succeed is required. Your Seniors and Management needs to be happy with your deliverables. You may have to interact with your peers. All these become your internal customers. In my humble view, your internal customers are the ones who force you to do better, in a sense these Internal customers help you deliver a better product or better service.
Keep Customer Focus, keep Customer in mind, Focus on Customer needs — This is my mantra to succeed. Let me offer my thoughts. If you identify your customer correctly, then think about What is it that the customer needs. What kind of Product or Service can you provide which can benefit the customer? Always think, about how can you help your customer succeed, and when you think in this manner you can suggest the best possible option to your customer. Be honest, be sincere in your views and suggestions. don’t oversell, don’t misguide, don’t cheat, and don’t try to fool the customer. Once your vision of guiding the customer is clear and gets accepted by the customer, slowly trust is built. Then the customer will accept your views and suggestions. I repeat keep Customer in mind, be Customer focussed.
To identify the correct product or solution you need to know Customer Needs, Requirement, Scope, Expected Deliverables, Acceptable criteria of Deliverables. Only then you can offer the best solution. Let me state the details.
Take an example — two villages across the river need to be connected. —
Need is Connectivity between two villages across the river.
The requirement is a construction of a bridge across the river
The scope is Constructing a bridge with 4 lanes for traffic, a divider, footpaths on either side of the road, wall on both sides of the bridge.
Acceptable criteria of Deliverables – Bridge with XXX quality, which can sustain the weight of heavy vehicles, and can cater to vehicular traffic of 5000 vehicles per hour, 2 lanes for heavy traffic in either direction i.e. a total of 4 lanes, 1-foot-high divider which will bifurcate the 4 lanes, and clearly identify bi-directional traffic, footpaths on either side at end of the road which will be raised 1 foot high, footpath with will be 5 feet. There will be a 4 feet high wall at end of the footpath to ensure people or traffic do not fall off. More details as required can be mentioned.
Now just visualize…. … you know exact Situation, the problem, the solution which is converted to Need; hence it becomes easy to identify the Requirements. Since you know the Need and Requirements, it becomes relatively easy to determine the Scope. The scope obviously needs to be finalized and accepted by the customer. The acceptable criteria is determined by the end customer and the stakeholders involved.
Isn’t this a workable approach? Focus on your customer or client, their problems, their challenges, their needs, and then think Can your products or services help them. If yes, make the proposal and help the customer or client understand how your product or services can help them solve their problem, be better, be more successful. Once the customer or client is convinced, you have a deal.
The customer or client will be happy that you have understood their problem, their challenges, and you have proposed the right solution.
All customers or clients have Requirements that are stated. But Expectations are never stated. Expectations are unsaid and unspoken requirements. Your task is to determine these unsaid and unspoken requirements by asking questions, bouncing ideas, etc. Once you understand the expectations, convert them to Requirements. And then propose a solution in form of a product or service to meet all the comprehensive Requirements i.e. earlier requirements and expectations converted to requirements.
Let’s take a few examples. You want a purchase a pet, say a Dog. In some cases, you may have identified the breed of the dog, the average expected age of the dog, etc. But in a few cases, you only know that the need is a dog. Then the seller has to educate you with different breeds, their characteristics, and then help you make a decision.
Another example could you want a TV. Then the seller will show you various models, and explain their characteristics and features. While doing that, the salesperson will also ask casually about dimensions need, usage need, budget, etc. Usage means will you need a smart TV, will you need a TV that has USB slots, or do you need just basic features of TV without any fancy gadgets? Based on all these questions and your inputs the salesperson will suggest 1 or more TVs to you. Think about it,
Your Requirement was a TV, but the expectation was gathered during the course of discussion and then a proposal was made.
Work for your customer’s success, your stakeholder’s success, and they will be Delighted. Aim for customer Delight, not just Customer Satisfaction. If
Now does this work for External customers? YES.
Does this work for Internal Customers? – YES
Simple thoughts, but these make a lasting impact. Follow these for your benefit.