Clients are the lifeblood of your business, so if I ask you if you know what your customers are saying about you, do you know the answer? Is it good, bad or just plain ugly? And how do you make sure it is always good?
Improvement, change, involvement from within, and a culture of can-do. Without these, your business and you personally run the risk of becoming stagnant and potentially losing clients.
I am always asking of myself, my clients and indeed my own business: How can we improve the way we do things?
Understand – A key factor is to ensure everyone in the business understands the five Ws – who, why, when, where and what. Once these questions are answered the full picture can be displayed for all to see and to truly recognise the need for change and improvement.
Communicate – After understanding the need for change and improvement, it has to be communicated. Do all levels of your organisation know where you are at and where you need to be? If not, how can you improve the flow of information?
Attitude – Your attitude plays an important role with a client’s perception and how they view you as a professional. Liken this to a pair of shoes. They say a lot about a person. If they are shiny and kept clean they will be admired, respected and appreciated by all. Beware an old pair of shoes, all tattered and worn, which shows a lack of care and responsibility. What kind of shoes do you wear? A positive attitude will always attract new business. A negative attitude will only drive people away.
Acceptance – Having a grasp on the reality of the situation and truly identifying the blind spots in the business, gives you both awareness and acknowledgement. These are both fundamental in making good decisions and achieving your goals. To thine own self be true, look in the mirror, and be honest with what you see.
Embrace – Welcome change with open arms. Lead by example and view improvements and changes as moving forward and evolving. This makes a good recipe for a successful business.
It all comes down to the importance of identifying and making change happen. I’m not talking about change for the sake of it, but real business improvement change. Change that your customers will love, that will keep them happy and wanting to keep dealing with you!
Clients are the most important people in the world. And remember this quote by R. Ciarla “If you don’t take care of the customer, someone else will”.