competitive advantage Archives - Quality Customers Resource

Your potential customers’ brains are constantly absorbing signals from both your company and your competitors and then using these signals as a basis to choose. Each market signal that your company sends moves their “preference for your company” needle up or down. One of your signals will be the Deciding Factor: the one that causes a Prospect to pick your company.

Ask most company managers and they’ll tell you the key to satisfying customers is to “do what the customer wants.” Although this is a reasonable answer, I believe in adding to this by embracing the philosophy of “do what the customer needs.” Although it takes extra time to educate a customer and merge their wants with newly learned needs, it leads to a more satisfied customer and it’s the right thing to do.

Establish up front what your customer expects from you by asking, “What results do you expect to see from our work?” When you understand the customer’s expectations, you can address any misconceptions before the work begins.

Figure out how to foster a strong sense of pride in each team member’s quality work, displays of strong work ethic, customer satisfaction focus and professional development. Start by recognizing, thanking, and rewarding each team member on specific accomplishments and moments of success. Expand from there. Once you realize that your job is to foster GOOD EGO, you’ll come up with ideas to do so.