Organizations, especially large ones that’ve been around for a few years, over time begin to process things via whatever is easiest for the company.
For example: it’s easier to have printable forms on a website rather than to spend the time and resources building an online form for customers to fill out. It’s easier to have an automated phone service than to hire a receptionist. It’s easier to just have people wait their turn than to have a structured appointment schedule that’s kept to.
But the organizations that grow and progress aren’t just thinking about themselves and what’s easiest for the company—they are thinking first and foremost of their customers. They go out of their way to make the customer experience the best, even if it’s less convenient for their employees. Restaurants that don’t take reservations aren’t putting their diners first—they’re thinking about how to get the most customers in and out through the night. Companies that don’t redesign their non-functioning website aren’t putting their customers first—they’re thinking about how much time and money it’s going to take to fix it.
Granted, you may not have the time or the resources to make everything 100% customer-friendly, but it’s important to stop thinking about what’s good for you, and to start thinking about what’s good for your customers. That’s the mindset that creates a lasting brand, strong relationships, and loyal patrons.
When’s the last time you approached your brand like your customer? Today, try calling your office or walking in to the front desk as or trying to contact someone through your website as if it’s your first experience. Not as smooth as you thought it would be? Share that experience in the comments below—I’d love to hear what acting like a customer makes you realize about your company.
*Image courtesy Petras Gagilas
As a speaker and author, Curtis Zimmerman has impacted over one million people with his life-changing messages and award-winning programs. Curtis is an expert at transforming organizations by inspiring individuals to live their lives at performance level.
Want to be inspired? Check out his podcast The Next 24 Hours.
