Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Flipboard 0 One thing that is not likely to change in the near future is inattention. Your customers are busy, tired and unable to focus. While you may want to provide great service, this may be a misnomer for how to provide value and retain customers. If you are merely service-oriented and do what your client wants, then you may create burdens for a busy person with more work than they previously had. Can you imagine the thought in your customer’s mind, “Why is this person making me work? I hired them to get things done.” However, of extreme value is if you can think for them. Do the research. Come with the ideas. Bring advice that works. Lead. For a busy customer, their world is spinning and you don’t want to be thrown in as one more burden to manage. You want to be someone of value. They look forward to engaging with you. And that comes from lightening their load, mentally and emotionally. You can have long-term relationships because you are known as a person who does the thinking for your customer. You get in their business, take initiative and do the work. You are not waiting for things to happen, you make them happen. So, this may require reviewing how you fulfill what you sell. You might have to redesign the steps of your process. How you kick-off projects, check in on work and manage the relationship are all part of the customer journey to retool if you are not doing the thinking for your customers. Knowing you have a problem is as simple as observing body language. If your customers are not eager to talk to you, then you are likely just part of the overwhelm rather than someone who brings value without burdening them. Are you thinking for your customers enough? Twitter Tweet Facebook Share Email This article originally appeared on Don Dalrymple – Executive Business Coach and has been republished with permission.Find out how to syndicate your content with B2C Join our Telegram channel to stay up to date on breaking news coverage Author: Don Dalrymple Follow @dondalrymple I build businesses and help companies drive revenue. I am realistic, and my strategies and methods are always intentional. People appreciate my subtle yet strong leadership and my direct communication style.Working through a strategy that fits your vision, leadership, talents and priorities is a collaborative endeavor. You need someone to … View full profile ›More by this author:Empire Building and Diminishing ReturnsBuilding KPI ScorecardsYou Can’t Take the Thinking Out of Knowledge Work