I have experienced being a customer and I have also experienced serving a customer, both experiences have their downs and highs, which is very expected when it comes to business and making a success out of it. One thing I've learnt from my experiences in both is that, "How the business owner and customer relationship is handled affects a business positively or negatively".
A lot of businesses have folded up because of lack of customer service and a lot has been very successful because they take their customers just as important as they take their profits.
Maybe I should start my view with a story, one about an entrepreneur and a customer relationship that is worth sharing. Witnessing this relationship has helped me understand better how much giving customer service can save a business.
I had the opportunity to spend a few months with my aunt who owns a personal business of selling food items to her neighborhood. Some days, she made me stay with her in her shop and I got to understand a lot about her way of keeping long term relationship with her customers. First thing I took note of, she was always ready to receive a new customer.
From a past experience, some people don't take much importance in how they treat their first customers unless the customers look rich or orders for expensive items, this is a bad approach. My aunt was very different, she would laugh and even joke with her new customers and you see them coming back again and again whether they want to buy little or much.
One time, a customer came to my aunt shop screaming angrily about an item she got that was bad. My aunt made sure not to respond angrily too even though she knew the item got bad after she sold it off. Instead, she tried to explain to the customer showing her where the item was kept that it was safe (along with the others) and after, she gave the customer a replacement.
My aunt was able to prove that the customer could have damaged the item at home but didn't know and after that, my aunt made sure to win her over by giving her a replacement. The customer went home happy and kept coming back for more patronage. It was a bit of a loss on my aunt side but she gained a long term patronage which she thought as a profit.
For every entrepreneur, there are skills you should have to win your customers over at all times. It's one thing to own a business, it's another to keep a good relationship with those who will help the business grow and your customers are a major part of it. From my experiences, here are a few of them.
Having the ability to understand the emotion and perspective of your customer (Empathy): You own a business but you should never forget how it feels to be a customer to a fellow business owner. Try to be in your customer shoes when they come to patronize you and do not always think they have what it takes to buy your products. They are allowed to make their choices or not buy in the end, keep your cool and understand that.
Having the ability to help solve any issues your customers bring to you (Problem Solving): This skill is needed anywhere and for anything relating to humans because we are giving problems or puzzle to solve daily when we try to make progress. So to provide better customer service, be prepared to face the angry, annoying and crazy customers and help solve whatever they bring to you.
Having a good speaking and listening attitude to your customers: First approaches to customers, speaking in the terms they understand and recommending good ideas to them about the product or service they want to go for, all these are something you should be good at to keep customers coming to you. I've seen customers preferring a particular entrepreneur because of his way of speaking, it's amazing.
There are a lot of other skills to master if you want to build relationships with your customers like patience and taking responsibility. You can add in the comment section and let's learn them together. So tell me, what personal experience as a customer can you not forget?
Spanish Translation
He tenido la experiencia de ser cliente y también he tenido la experiencia de atender a un cliente, ambas experiencias tienen sus altibajos, lo cual es muy esperable cuando se trata de negocios y de lograr el éxito. Una cosa que he aprendido de mis experiencias en ambos casos es que "la forma en que se maneja la relación entre el dueño del negocio y el cliente afecta al negocio de manera positiva o negativa".
Muchas empresas han cerrado por falta de servicio al cliente y muchas han tenido mucho éxito porque consideran a sus clientes tan importantes como a sus ganancias.
Quizás debería comenzar mi relato con una historia, una sobre un empresario y una relación con un cliente que vale la pena compartir. Ser testigo de esta relación me ha ayudado a entender mejor cuánto puede salvar un negocio el brindar un servicio al cliente.
Tuve la oportunidad de pasar unos meses con mi tía, que tiene un negocio personal de venta de alimentos en su vecindario. Algunos días, me hacía quedarme con ella en su tienda y pude entender mucho sobre su forma de mantener una relación a largo plazo con sus clientes. Lo primero que noté fue que siempre estaba lista para recibir a un nuevo cliente.
Según mi experiencia, algunas personas no le dan mucha importancia a cómo tratan a sus primeros clientes, a menos que parezcan ricos o hagan pedidos de artículos caros. Este es un mal enfoque. Mi tía era muy diferente, se reía e incluso bromeaba con sus nuevos clientes y los veías volver una y otra vez, ya sea que quisieran comprar poco o mucho.
Una vez, una clienta llegó a la tienda de mi tía gritando enojada porque había comprado un artículo en mal estado. Mi tía se aseguró de no responder con enojo, aunque sabía que el artículo se había estropeado después de que lo vendiera. En cambio, trató de explicarle a la clienta que estaba segura (junto con los demás) y, después, le dio un reemplazo.
Mi tía pudo demostrar que la clienta podría haber dañado el artículo en su casa, pero no lo sabía, y después de eso, mi tía se aseguró de ganársela dándole un reemplazo. La clienta se fue a casa feliz y siguió volviendo para comprar más. Fue una pequeña pérdida para mi tía, pero ella ganó un patrocinio a largo plazo que consideró una ganancia.
Todo emprendedor debe tener ciertas habilidades para ganarse a sus clientes en todo momento. Una cosa es tener un negocio y otra muy distinta es mantener una buena relación con quienes ayudarán a que el negocio crezca, y los clientes son una parte importante de él. Según mi experiencia, aquí se enumeran algunas de ellas.
Tener la capacidad de comprender las emociones y la perspectiva de tu cliente (Empatía): Tienes un negocio, pero nunca debes olvidar cómo se siente ser cliente de otro dueño de negocio. Intenta ponerte en el lugar de tu cliente cuando venga a patrocinarte y no siempre pienses que tiene lo necesario para comprar tus productos. Se les permite tomar sus propias decisiones o no comprar al final, mantén la calma y entiéndelo.
Tener la capacidad de ayudar a resolver cualquier problema que tus clientes te traigan (Resolución de problemas): Esta habilidad es necesaria en cualquier lugar y para cualquier cosa relacionada con los humanos porque estamos dando problemas o acertijos para resolver a diario cuando tratamos de avanzar. Entonces, para brindar un mejor servicio al cliente, prepárate para enfrentar a los clientes enojados, molestos y locos y ayudar a resolver lo que sea que te traigan.
Tener una buena actitud para hablar y escuchar a tus clientes: Primeros acercamientos a los clientes, hablar en los términos que ellos entienden y recomendarles buenas ideas sobre el producto o servicio que quieren elegir, todo esto es algo en lo que debes ser bueno para que los clientes sigan viniendo a ti. He visto a clientes que prefieren a un empresario en particular por su forma de hablar, es increíble.
Hay muchas otras habilidades que debes dominar si quieres construir relaciones con tus clientes, como la paciencia y la asunción de responsabilidades. Puedes agregarlas en la sección de comentarios y aprendamos a usarlas juntos. Así que dime, ¿qué experiencia personal como cliente no puedes olvidar?
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The business relationship between a sales agent and the customer is a deviced means that alot of sales agent neglect which is the foundation that sale are derive off from, me as entrepreneur i dont fail to acknowledge this, very important, thanks for sharing friend
That's a good habit for your entrepreneurial adventures 😌
Exactly friend
Good evening, @merit.ahama. You sometimes think you are not very demanding as a customer in terms of the attention you receive, but all it takes is one gesture that displeases you to refuse the store.
I once accompanied a sister to buy a new card for her phone. We entered the store, said hello, no response, and went to the only salesperson there. The young man was engrossed in his phone and without looking up said: “Tell me!
The customer did not answer and waited until the boy, a bit jaded, looked up and said impatiently: Yes, tell me, what do you want!
She looked him in the eyes and replied: Thank you for your bad attention, turned around and we left the store.
At that moment, I thought, two rude people met, but beyond my appreciation, the truth is that the young man lost a potential customer because of his lack of good attention.
That's a good example of bad customer service and yeah, sometimes the customer have the patient role to play too.
The salesperson may have been having a bad day before you and your sis walked in but that may have not been the case, we never can tell. He shouldn't have let his feelings or attitude lose a customer no matter what, too bad.