When you’re in business and a client tells you “I am in the market for ‘let’s say a motorbike’” you as the dealer knows that it is time to perform; a client with money that he or she wants to spend, needs your undivided attention.
One must remember that there are always more dealers that a client can turn to for the same business. So if you do not serve him or her well, the client’s money will just go to your opposition.
Customer effort
Matthew Dixon et al in his book The Effortless Experience argues that
the one thing jeopardising customer loyalty most, is how much effort the client needs to put in to do business with you.
Recently my daughter purchased a new bed. She approached two different businesses, but eventually made the purchase at the company that delivered it for free.
It has somewhat of an emotional twist on it; it makes you feel better because the company makes it easier for you as a client to do business with them.
It may look like something small, but it actually plays a huge psychological role in determining whom you’ll buy from.
Clear away the stumbling blocks
Therefore the question to us as a business owners is: “To what extent are we clearing away the possible stumbling blocks in the way of our clients?” If they would say that they will still support you although you may be slightly more expensive, then you know you are on the right track.
A certain business in our area seemingly never even heard of the term customer service. Although employees are standing everywhere in the shop, no one will offer to help you when you are looking for something. Should you ask one of them about the products you are looking for, they first of all look bothered because you disturbed them and secondly they cannot answer your questions.
Bad customer experiences
Well everybody that I talk to, whenever you mention that businesses name, mentions that they never even go there anymore even when they have special offers. How long can a business with such a bad name, survive? Customer effort? Well, it will take a lot of persuasion to get me there, because I have negative emotions toward them after previous shopping experiences. Fortunately I can choose whether I want to do business with them or not.
But what about government where we have to do business with them whether we like it or not?
# Doing business with government
By law we are compelled to do certain types of business with different levels of government. They want your money and they need it to fulfil their far too many obligations.
Law abiding citizens do their best to comply with all the required regulations and to pay what is due to the different authorities. But, it is so difficult to do just that. To renew your licence (drivers or vehicle’s) you need to be prepared to stand in long queues. A lady I know, recently spent more than six hours for that.
To go to SARS or to get an appointment, to see somebody about your turnover tax, which by law must be handed in personally, is almost impossible. Customer effort? Yes,
it requires huge customer effort to get past all the barriers they have in place to keep you out.
To get a passport or ID or to have your wedding or child’s birth registered, you need to set aside a day to accomplish that. Whether it is a roadworthy test for a vehicle or going to a government hospital, you can be assured, it takes a lot of motivation to just go there and do what is required by law.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if government would adopt more of a business mindset to make it easier for us to do business with them. Please remove the barriers because we are tired battling the system just to be able to pay our dues.
Do you feel like that square peg in a round hole in your job or business and you don’t know why? If that is you, contact me for a Career Direct Assessment (available online) which will help you understand. It will not only show who you are, but will also point you in the right direction.
