Last week during the “Uganda Entrepreneurship congress 2023” at Makerere University business coach Robert Semkula counselled the young, eager students that when they go into business, “Don’t look for a customer look for a friend”.
That was interesting because we all know nothing happens
until you sell, sell to a customer.
It was a clever way of saying you need to focus on building
relationships with your customers, because again we all know if they like you,
you are half way to selling.
We have argued severally in this column that businessmen before they claim the economy is doing badly, should first do an audit of their customer care processes...
As customers we are tired of the bored sales executive whose
body language suggests she would rather be elsewhere than be selling to you or
the gum chewing, rolling of the eyes, front desk officer who would rather you
did not come in their door or the technician who returns your TV or car in such
a state that you will be calling him no sooner has he turned the corner.
Our businessmen, we call them that because they are selling
something but, in all honesty, have as much luck at success as the sighting of
nsenene this season; our businessmen, seem intent on chasing us away from their
shops so they can watch Tiktok.
So, imagine if we have some sort of universal epiphany – as I
did listening to Semakula, that why when the customer walks in our door, don’t we
try to make him our friend by looking beyond the current sale to building a
long term relationship? After all the business theorists tell us it is cheaper
to sell more to an existing customer than cultivate a new one.
We may suffer a culture shock, but what would this brave new
world look like?
It would be that when my car breaks down and I call the
mechanic to come check it out, he would be focused on getting to me or one of
his people, identifying the problem and taking it off my hands. Once that
happens he would give me regular updates – in writing, on what was needed and
the progress on the job. To stretch the fantasy, they may have even have loaned
me a car to use as they work. The beauty of the loaned car is that they would have
skin in the game, they would not forget to work on my car and at the bare
minimum would look to get the job done quickly so they can get their car back –
before I damage it.
This could work for appliances out of order, the plumbing
that needs repairing (in this case they would stay onsite until it was fixed)
or even a bad hair job.
Our businessmen see this tender loving care as an added expense they can not afford or worse, that it would be keeping them from serving other customers. But if you think about it, I will remember the service especially if it is replicated routinely and would not hesitate to recommend him to my friends and family. They say people never forget how you made them feel...
As it is now many times we are scared to recommend our
handymen because we know their ways of not quite finishing the job and
overcharging for it (if you don’t finish the job, whatever you charge will be
overcharging). It maybe the difference between when we are asked who is our
mechanic, our response not being a sigh and waive of the hand but an eager sharing
of his contact over WhatsApp.
Unfortunately, there are enough of us who are bad mannered and
ingrates, dissuading our businessmen from being nice and hence the vicious
cycle and hence the complaints about the economy being bad.
Talking about a bad economy, it amazes me every day to
realise how many people are doing well are quiet about it. The noisy ones are
the complainers, while the guys getting paid everyday are seated quietly in the
corner smiling inwardly to themselves.
How would you serve your friend if they came to your shop,
may be the way to start thinking to reengineer your business.
I remember many years ago when I was looking for a size 14
dress on Johnstone Street. The shop I went into only had size 12. I made as if to
leave the shop and go to the next shop, but the shop attendant beat me to the
door, urged me to take a seat he would bring the same dress. After a few
minutes, which seemed like forever – we didn’t have smart phones, he came back
with not one but two dresses a size 14 and a size 16, just in case.
I was getting ready to fork out a little bit more for
his effort but he insisted the price was as quoted before. He became my go to
guy for clothing and referred him far and wide.
Now his more tech savvy son is the one I meet, since I no
longer can be bothered to go to town anymore. They now have several “shop
windows” online and the son and his friends seemingly drop whatever they are
doing to deliver.
And whenever I ask how business is going the son is quick
with a thumbs up, “Mzuri.” Surprise! Surprise!
