Four things exceptional business give their customers

Article contributed by Mark Sutherland.

Over the last four years I have been reading blogs, magazines, websites, newspapers, books and journals to find out what customers and clients really want.

What I found can be summarised under these four headings:

Connection
People want a genuine authentic connection from someone who really cares. They want you to respond in a timely fashion. They want to be connected by more than one medium.

My daughters want to be connected by Facebook, Face Time and Instagram and text. My clients like face to face, email, and phone, Skype and/or GoToMeeting. Meet and connect with your customers and clients where they are. Many people are happy to get a real hand written note.

Simplicity
People are busy with business and their personal lives. They are done with complexity and clutter. They want to be able to make a decision with ease. They like clarity from the presenter or sales person. They want to check things out on websites and blogs and they get frustrated by font size 10 that is a light pale green or red and impossible to read. It’s too hard so they leave and look for something easy to read.

Customers and clients want you to take them on a simple easy journey from enquiry to purchase. They want your knowledge and insight delivered without the bullshit and fluff. They want to know in a nutshell what you have for them, how it will help and how much it will cost. I have learned from this research and my price points are now no brainers – my clients make decisions on the spot.

Transparency
There is no room for secrets in the new world. People want the truth and only the truth. They want to know what ingredients are in their food. They want to know that what they’re purchasing will last as long as the label says it will. They want to be kept in the loop. They want you to be credible and they want you to care. They want a guarantee they can trust. Be it at your peril to hide key information.

Experience
When I go to a restaurant I don’t just want a meal, I want something special, something different to what I cook at home. People want to have experiences that are fun meaningful and valuable. They will remember those who gave them a great experience, and they will not forgive those who treat them badly. It is amazing how a smile and a genuine greeting can turn something that is ordinary into an experience.

A simple act of kindness can turn a customer into a super-fan. Sometimes it is the simple things that make the biggest difference.

Mark Sutherland has 20 years experience in coaching executives, managers, self-employed and business owners, and 28 years of experience coaching elite athletes including Olympic and World Champions – http://www.marksutherland.co.nz/