Customer Must-Haves and Can’t Stands

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on October 28, 2009 under Connecting Moments, Customer Moments, Expectations | Be the First to Comment

Are you on e-Harmony?  Do you know someone who is?  Well, if so you know that during the initial communication stage each party has the opportunity to share their relationship must-haves and can’t-stands.  You can pick from a set list of options or make up your own.  For example, must-haves might be:

• Must love animals and my children (in that order)
• Must have a motorcycle and know how to use it
• Must have experience as a roadie for the Grateful Dead

Can’t stands might be:

• Liars, cheats and bigots
• Brussel Sprouts
• Long walks on a short pier

Okay, you get the idea.  So now let’s think about our customers.  If they put together a list of must-haves and can’t stands, what would they include?

Must Haves:

• Honesty.  Including when you’ve made a mistake or can’t make a deadline – just be honest.
• Quality. Experience, product, service.
• Listening skills.  Not just to what I say I want and need but what is left unsaid – the ability to read between the lines is a plus.
• Knowledge.  As a customer, I may think I know what I want, but if you ask the right questions and listen carefully, you’ll make recommendations based on what I need

Can’t stands:

• Over enthusiastic sales people who start selling before I’ve told them what I want.
• To be treated like a dollar sign instead of a person.
• Boosters who don’t deliver.
• People who say disparaging things about the competition.

If you were to ask your customers for their must-haves and can’t stands would you be surprised by their answers?

It all comes down to thoroughly understanding the customer’s expectations.  As a freelance writer, I assume people want content that is accurate, polished, compelling and on time.  But I recently heard a writer say her boss just wanted it written:  “don’t worry about getting it right, just get it written.”  Wow, that was a surprise.

It would be an interesting exercise for you to make the list and then ask your staff to do the same.  Would there be any surprises?  Compare those answers with those of your customers – are there disconnects?