The one practice that will set your business apart

No matter where you fit in the business world, you’re likely to have some interaction with the customers who spend money with your company. Taking good care of every customer may sound like routine advice from the boss — but it is repeated for good reason, as customer satisfaction is fundamental to any business’ success. Whether your organization calls them customers, clients, patients, or partners, the person on the other end of your product or service had better be your full-time focus.

At Tractor Supply Company, we regularly challenged our store team members to learn a new customer’s name each week. Why? Because communication matters, and there’s nothing more powerful in a retail store than greeting customers by name. A “Good morning, Mary” or “Good afternoon, Charlie” is the kind of personal touch that will set your business apart from the competition. Ask yourself what your organization could do right now to make your practices more customer-centric.

Every point of contact we have with a customer — whether face-to-face or on the phone a thousand miles away — can make a difference in the relationship. Each interaction is your opportunity to sell both yourself and your company. If you’re upbeat and friendly, you’re off to a good start. Listen carefully, ask productive questions, and maintain a warm demeanor. Your goal is to make the sale or solve the problem in the least painful way possible. In the end, you want your customer to remember the transaction as a positive experience.

In these situations, you’re not just selling a product or service — you’re selling yourself. The more confidence a customer has in you, the more successful the transaction is likely to be. Are you making eye contact? Are you smiling? The goal is to make customers feel so good about the interaction that they can walk away confident everything will work out to their satisfaction, whether this is their first interaction with your business or the hundredth.

If you ever find yourself brushing off a new idea or suggestion because it feels inconvenient, pause and ask yourself how this move might affect your customer. Will this proposed change lead to a smoother, more reliable experience on their end? If so, it’s worth the temporary pain. The people who engage with your business will decide its future. Always put your customer first.

published Nashville Business Journal