Most people, businesses and large organisations are so caught up with the task or role at hand that they do not recognise that the individual or business they are dealing with at that moment is always a potential customer now or in the future. And yet they often don’t see it that way and ignore the impression they are creating by not doing so. Is that you ?
Here are some examples ;
You apply for a job and receive lots of contact and communication with the recruiter until such time as you are not going to be successful and employed by them. This is most obvious when you are interviewed and then told “ if you don’t hear from us in the next 4 weeks then you haven’t got the job”or something similar.
You provide a quote for a client, spend time developing and explaining it, and then do not hear anything. You follow up several times to be told it’s still under consideration until finally you either give up or are eventually told they accepted someone else’s offer several weeks ago.
You enquire whether you can buy a certain product from a company but it is not one that they currently provide. They do not offer you the nearest alternative they have; the name of a potential supplier of what you want or worse, just say no we don’t do that.
Sounds familiar ? The impression given is that you are only worth talking to when you might be of immediate use to them for the role they are performing at that time. Once it looks like that you might not be of use, then contact ceases, explanations are not necessary and impressions do not count... you will understand, right ?
Wrong ! The fact that you are a potential customer of their product or service in the future ; could refer other people or business to them both now or in the future ; and worse, are likely to pass comment to others on how you have been treated ( and remember we are all more likely to pass on bad experiences ) should be of prime consideration at all times.
Also, we all have to perform different roles at different times... I am a recruiter today, a service provider tomorrow and a buyer the following day... and while it is good to focus on your role, you should not get so caught up in the task at hand that you forget the bigger picture.
The bigger picture is that today’s applicant could be tomorow’s customer ; today’s supplier might be tommorow’s buyer ; today’s enquiry about the wrong product could be tommorow’s demand for the right one.
You are, or should be, focussed on your potential customers at all times as if you think it doesn’t fit your role today, even when you are not selling ; then don’t be surprised if your potential customer doesn’t think you fit them tomorrow, even though they are now buying.
