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YOU Are the Most Important Person in the World

You are a segment of one – at least in your own mind. That is what we all want. We want to be treated like we are the most important person in the world.

If you can make your customers feel like they are the most important person in the world, you win. And it’s not that difficult.

Last week we talked about segmentation – or how to segment your customers into distinct groups that act in certain ways. They may respond to a particular advertising message or may be moving their business to a competitor. You need to know more about each of these segments so you can adjust your message or operations to solicit the desired response – they buy or they don’t leave.

Today I want to focus on segments of one. That segment is you – my customer. The person who wants to feel like they are the most important person in the world. I can hear the complaints already – I have thousands of customers, how can I make each one feel special?

The answer – systems and empowered employees.

Let’s take a virtual trip to the Four Seasons resort in Bali. You arrive from the airport and the bellman gets your bags from the taxi. As he walks you to the hotel he calls you by name. How? He had already studied the names of guests arriving that day and quickly glanced at your bag tags as he removed them from the taxi.

As you enter the hotel you are greeted by the receptionist – again by name. How? The bellman radioed your name to the front desk.

You must admit that a person’s name is the sweetest sound in the world to that person. This simple use of technology and planning made sure that you felt exceptional as soon as you pulled up to the property.

But it doesn’t stop there. Since you are a returning customer to the Four Seasons they have taken scrupulous notes on your preferences and entered them into their Customer Resource Management (CRM) system. They have booked you in your preferred room and offer you a complimentary upgrade. While the hotel cannot always offer an upgrade, doing so when possible always makes a guest feel special. We must under promise and over deliver every chance we can.

Zappos (the online shoe retailer) has a habit of upgrading customers to next day delivery even though they promised them 3-5 day shipping. Just a way they like to WOW customers any chance they can.

For you finance types I know you are getting worried about the costs of all this upgrading. Luxury hotels and even Zappos have the margins to deliver excellent customer service and they earn the money back two-fold by reducing or eliminating advertising costs. Word of mouth advertising is all they need.

But back to your stay at the Four Seasons. It is late when you arrive and your bed has already been turned down for you when you reach your room. You notice freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies on the night stand – your favorite. As you try to figure out how they knew, you remember back to a previous stay when you had requested oatmeal raisin cookies instead of chocolate chip – but that was in New York! That is the beauty of the internet and a great database operated with care by empowered employees.

Don’t think you have the time, money or margin to WOW your customers like the Four Seasons or the Ritz? Do you really think you can afford not to? The cost of a great CRM system has plummeted and hiring and training great employees is mandatory. If you don’t do it, I’m sure your competitors will.