I don't want to lose you !

One of my favorite training topics is Customer Retention. As luck would have it, my services are also frequently requested to counsel couples in relationships. Some time back I discovered a lot of points in common between these apparently disparate subjects.

It is common knowledge that six out of ten customers move away from you because of indifference, discourtesy and a feeling of not belonging to your business. Amazing, most relationships also break up for the very same reason.

It is also common knowledge that it costs six times more to attract a new customer than to retain an old customer. Anybody who has gone through a divorce will vouch for this ! It’s not just the money. The time and trauma that you go through also demand a steep price.

Over recent times, at least in the Indian context, the customer has become more aware of his status, his rights and is more vocal and assertive in what he wants. This is also true of all emotional relationships.

Here are some tips on retaining customers AND relationships.

Under promise over deliver. Promises are so easy to make and so very difficult to implement ! Surprise your customer and your mate by giving more than they expect. Remember the word “Surprise”.

Expectations are your undoing. We all expect our customers to behave in a certain pattern. We create an elaborate atmosphere, expecting them to conform to the pattern and they don’t. Smart businessmen will do everything to create a conducive atmosphere. And stop at that. Leave it to the customer to buy. The success of large format stores hinges on this theory. It is the same with a relationship. Do what you wish to do for the sheer pleasure of doing it. If you get a reward accept it as a bonus.

When things go wrong communicate more. We all have gone through this. When someone owes you money or has not done something he is expected to do, phones stop working, emails bounce, tempers get frayed and businesses are affected. A customer who complains is treated as he has swine flu ! Would it not be easier if both persons communicated a little MORE in such situations? Would not the same thing apply to a relationship ? Avoiding a problem has never ever made it go away.

Don’t take people for granted. Things are more often not what they seem to be, is what any sales training guru will tell you. Taking customers for granted is the cardinal sin of any businessman. Mighty business empires have fallen just because of this. In relationships too, especially in a marriage, we tend to take our spouses for granted. For those whose marriages were the result of romance, the difference before and after marriage is glaringly obvious. A relationship is not a fixed deposit. It is an investment which needs daily doses of care.

Keep an open mind. Understand why people say what they say. Disagreements are only a symptom. Look for the cause. The skill of a doctor lies in diagnosing the root of the problem and not the symptoms. Preconceived notions close your mind to closer relationships whether it is your customer or your mate.

Learn to appreciate sincerely. This has never failed in all my years in business. I would stress the word sincerity since flattery is detected almost immediately.

Your ego is your biggest enemy. This is the bane of most Indian businesses. We simply refuse to take responsibility. According to us, even God could be wrong. We are not. Even when we know we wrong, we move logic on its head to defend ourselves. Look for win-win situations. Be prepared to lose the battle in order to win the war.

Just as we constantly fine tune ourselves to our customers’ need so do we need to with our partners. No relationship is 50:50. The equations are ever evolving. Here’s wishing that you never lose your loved one and that includes your customer !