Trying to improve service? Build better products?
Everyone knows you should talk to customers. Not as many people know that you should talk to non-customers.
Even fewer know that you should talk to uncustomers.
Uncustomers are people who used to be customers. People who stopped being customers. And people who have absolutely no intention of becoming customers (of yours) ever again.
These are the people that will teach you the most about your product, service, or company. But these are the people that companies listen to least.
Case in point
My wife took a phone call yesterday from Investor’s Group. We used to have mutual funds with IG, but recently took them out and invested them with another company. Lots of reasons, none relevant right now.
The call was regarding a survey of customer satisfaction. Teresa agreed to do the survey, although it would take 10 minutes out of her busy day. Then she informed the person conducting the survey that we had just withdrawn our investments from Investor’s Group.
All of a sudden, everything changed. Within the 20 seconds from the start of the call to Teresa telling her we had moved our money, the survey was “filled up.” Just that quickly, IG had all the customer input they needed. Or wanted. Or were prepared to listen too.
Summing it up
Your enemy is your friend. Those who do not like you, or what you sell, are teaching you. But are you listening?
I sadly agree with the uncustomer comment. being in business for over 4 years has taught me that just because you work 80 hours a week there is still something being neglected….usually it is the time you take to say hello. thanks for coming in. people want you to want their business.