To a customer, changing his or her mind in the middle of a purchase seems like the most natural thing in the world. Now, let’s say the scenario relates to the purchase of a vehicle, where the transaction may be at the point where almost all of the paperwork is done and the decision may …
Simplicity is the customer’s third love language. In a world of overstimulation, simplicity is a welcome diversion. Individuals are being overloaded with decisions on a daily basis and appreciate when they don’t have to do any heavy lifting whilst interacting with a business. The problem is that not all businesses take the time to make …
Have you ever witnessed a fracas between a customer and a frontline employee? For those who have not had the experience, take it from me, it’s usually neither a pretty sight, nor a pretty sound. For those of us who have been unfortunate spectators, it brings out a lot of sighing and head shaking. Often, …
I’m assuming that typically, a business would want to move from being a start-up, to being good and maybe ultimately, to being great. To me, a great business is one that is a great place to do business and a great place to work. A place where both customers and employees are extraordinarily happy (and …
I’ve had the pleasure of working with a local organization that had a grand impression of itself. Well, that impression set the tone for the style with which it conducted its business, how its employees were engaged, how its events were executed and how its customers were treated. Ultimately, this organization created such a brand …
Businesses need to stop taking decisions about their customers from 10,000 feet away and begin to take decisions that are as close to the customer as possible. How hard is that? Actually, it’s a really simple operation, if you’re a customer centric business. The problem is that many businesses are not even bothering to …
As a customer, can you imagine a world where “We Care” is not just a slogan, but is borne out in your everyday shopping experience, with every business? I can. I live, expectantly, in that imagining, with my fingers crossed, hoping that one day it will be reality. In the meantime, I enjoy receiving a …
“Whenever a wild card becomes possible, the future planning playbook has to be rewritten.” This quote by Tamar Kasriel, a retail futurist, speaks volumes. She was commenting that futurists had regarded the pandemic as a “wild card.” That is, an occurrence that would have big, worldwide impact, but a highly improbable event. Well, the event …
We hadn’t noticed that we were being primed for this digital moment that we’re experiencing. The pandemic has shoved everyone forward, at the same time. Necessity has become the mother of acceleration. With the onslaught of smart phones, expanding bandwidth, chat bots, self-service, online shopping and the like, alert business leaders and technology driven businesses …
Chuck Berry, the legendary rock and roll singer of the ‘80s once said; “never let the same dog bite you twice.” Yes, yes, I know that he is not a management guru, but we would do well to bear out the wisdom of his words. My application of Chuck’s words to the world of business, …