Problems and Solutions

: Image by Ben Sutherland via Flickr

Many business owners stick stubbornly to their policies, claiming that it confuses staff if you give them some room to talk more freely to customers. One of the things I found to win over customers is to listen. And I mean listen carefully. They are the ones with the problem, and for some reason they chose to contact you. That means:

Your marketing is attracting them
They believe you can fix their problem

So, if when they ring, you find yourself saying: “Er, no, we don’t do that”, then it’s time to learn that your marketing is sending the wrong message, or worse, you don’t really understand the problem you think you are solving (and without a problem to solve, there is usually no business). So, if you can change, do so, and start saying YES.

I am not a fan of Alan Sugar’s management, but as he once said: I am usually right, but when 10 people are telling you you are wrong, maybe they have a point.

WInning over customers is simple if you solve their problem.