Submitted by ConsumerFu on Wed, 03/11/2015 – 18:32

Nearly everyone that has gone into business knows the adage, “The customer is always right.” However, many don’t truly understand what this saying entails. Obviously you’re not going to hand over the cash register should the customer ask for such, but providing products and services is completely within your grasp. Although you want to build the business you want, keep in mind that customers want a business that they want. The Internet provides a platform for customers to share experiences when dealing with any given company. In a matter of minutes, a bad experience by the customer can potentially be spread to thousands of individuals. You may not believe that this could hurt local business practices, but it may be more damaging than you realize. This is especially true in smaller and rural areas where a community mindset is far more pronounced than in a big city. Online reviews aren’t solely for the purpose of sharing negative experiences. It can also help increase local sales through social media. For example, a previous customer could advise someone on sites such as Facebook of the services you provide helping that particular individual. This happens quite often as these sites are very popularized when it comes to finding good businesses within a community. Polling the community can be an excellent way to figure out what you need to stock. Recurring suggestions and needs should take a high priority as this will help secure a regular customer. It’s one of the basic principles of a successful business – supply and demand. If you don’t supply the demand for a particular product, you’re hurting your own net income as these customers will go elsewhere to have their needs met. Like online reputation mentioned earlier, being known as a business that can give the community what it needs can be greatly beneficial. This could mean the difference between keeping regular customers and sending potential buyers to your competitors. This weakens your standing while strengthening others. Having a high rate of satisfied customers can improve the self confidence of yourself as well as the employees. This confidence will play a role in performance and productivity enhancing your business experience even further. The mentality of those within the company can directly affect customer interaction. However, your staff will need to understand the difference between helping and berating customers. A confident yet pompous attitude can actually be detrimental for growth. By keeping up with the trends of the community, you can address specific needs. This will not only make the business look more professional, but it can help widen the overall scope of the company. For example, trends can help businesses expand products or services in order to stay with the times. By addressing concerns, you can improve the efficiency and development of your organization directly affecting its success. People like Charles Phillips have spent their careers providing customers with what they want and need. Because of this mentality, these captains of industry are able to acquire prestige and wealth as customer satisfaction drives business success. Give the customers what they want and see the results unfold for yourself. It’s better than developing a reputation as a provider that can’t meet demands.