So maybe some of your customers love you but not all of them do and, as certain as my beard prevents me from eating nacho cheese in public, it’s your fault. Even if it isn’t your fault it’s still your fault. For the sake of example, let’s grossly over-generalize the levels of customer affection. Your customer’s either love you, like you or they tolerate you which is the same as saying they really don’t like you but don’t have a choice. You’re the best of the worst in that scenario. Let’s start here.
You don’t really like your brother-in-law. You love him in the sense that mini-you learned in Sunday school that you are supposed to love everybody. Genuinely, if you had a couple of pops in you and we were chatting, just us girls, you’d admit how he annoys the kidney stones out of you. The only good thing about him is his sister. Naturally, you tolerate him. You don’t want to but, because you value your marriage, you do. Let’s hope you don’t have any of these customers. These people are only doing business with you because they like your sister, figuratively. You’ve got something they need. If they had a better option they’d take it. This might be because you don’t have any competition or, perhaps, you do have competition but they suck so much more that you win by default. You’re in control to a point but if your competitors ever get their stuff together you’re out.
You like the guy you bought your car from. Too bad the entire support system around him was a dumpster fire. You’d gladly give him business again but you’re not likely to if he’s still at the same dealership next time you’re in the market. You like him, but you like satisfying your cravings much more. If it’s convenient you’ll do business with him again but what are the chances of the all the variables aligning in his favor again? Precisely. If your highest aspiration is to get people to like you, to like your business, you are going to have a bald spot on your head from all the scratching you’ll do contemplating why so many of your customers are one-and-done. Evaluating your customer experience from the customer’s point of view would be a worthy exercise if you’re here.
Let’s go back to the marriage thing again. Hopefully, if you’re married, you’re deeply and hopelessly in love with your husband or wife. You don’t have to be married to be in love, of course. When you begin that relationship, as it crescendos toward love, you make significant investments; investments of your time, your privacy, your self-esteem and so on. If you have any serious intention of making it last you continue to invest, to sacrifice for their benefit which always, in healthy relationships, reciprocates. Inevitably, you win. It’s the same way with your customers. You have to invest before they invest in you. Likewise, you can’t stop investing once you’ve walked down that aisle. Not, that is, if you want them to fall in love and remain there. We both know that customers, like spouses, can be fickle. No matter, you don’t right off the prospect of love. It may seem elusive but it’s only possible if you do your part.