Five things customers hate about you

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Writuparna Kakati | 23 Jun, 2009
What's your own experiences as a customer? When you go to a restaurant, airport or a bank, how would you like to be treated? What do you like and dislike about them? In any business, it is important to be honest and communicate carefully with your customers.

Find below five common reasons why customers dislike a business:

Not listening to customers: "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses," once Henry Ford said. But you must listen to your customers; that is the way how to run a successful business. Of course, you can't always listen to your customers, at least in a way that most people think but not paying attention to what customers need is one of the most cited reasons customers dislike sales persons. So, let your customers speak out their mind and show them that you are listening and paying attention to what they are asking for. Also, ask what your customers what they expect from you to make the listen more worthwhile.

Talking too much to customers: How to identify traditional sales people? They talk too much; just stand still and they will keep talking. For them talking is selling. But it doesn't work that way, instead when they talk much customers just like to play with them. So stop thinking that talking much is the way to control your customers. In contrast, a reverse strategy could me more effective - let your customers talk, ask only qualifying questions and thus the interaction process human. Customers like to buy from people they like, not from sales tricksters who do not let them talk.

Failing to understating customer needs: Understanding customer needs is the starting point towards a successful business. Most business people fail to understand it and talk too much and listens too little. As a result they do not get proper understanding of their prospect's needs, wants and desires. To motivate your customers' purchase decisions, try to understand why a customer is looking to buy your products or services. Talk to them about their real requirements and suggest them the best options you can provide. It is also important to re-assess your understanding of customer needs and expectations time to time though regularly surveys.

Lying to customers: Most businesses and sales people lie. And these lies cover a broad range of topics: information about products, competitive information, price, delivery time frames, and many more. But is it a right strategy to tell customers anything to get the sale? Absolutely not. Once you deceive your customers, they are less likely to return to you in the future. So, you cannot continuously lie to win customers no matter in what shapes, sizes or colors you present it. Different surveys reveal that lying is the reason why most customers never return to some business.

Lack of follow-up: Studies have revealed that more than 80% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact. This figure reflects how much important it is for a business to follow-up its customers. Businesses which consistently follow up its prospects and customers are more likely to enjoy higher conversion rates. How follow-up enhances customer satisfaction to bring you more business? It's simple - for example, when your dentist calls you to remind about your next appointment with him for routine check-up, you would appreciate that 'extra effort'. The same is true when you follow-up your customers.

It is not always possible to satisfy all with whom you deal with, as pointed out by Henry Ford. But honest dealing with customers is very important in any business. Trying to avoid the above mentioned behavior could certainly help your business to stand out.