In today’s world, so many buyers have one eyebrow up when they meet with vendors. A classic, and easily detectable mistake is when vendors rely on assertions instead of claims. What’s the difference? A claim is a statement that can be backed up with evidence, and an assertion is a baseless statement with little, to no evidence as back up. Where do you and your customer facing teams fall? Maybe it’s time to make sure that you’re using claims instead of assertions?

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I learned a valuable, and painful lesson years ago. I met three customers for important lunch, and for the second time, I was 15 minutes late. Little did I know that the leader of the customer group was an ex-marine, and punctuality was a standard operating procedure for him. As I greeted everyone and sat down… I got my head handed to me. From that day on, I have worked diligently on trying to be punctual in business. It’s probably one of my biggest weaknesses in business, and life. I constantly try to get better at it. What say you? Where do you fall in the spectrum of punctuality? What improvements can you make?

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This concept may get a chuckle or two. However, this operating tenant is often times skimmed over in the board rooms and training rooms. The customer experience is set on the right axis if the vendor displays genuine politeness. This is especially important in the first 30 seconds of a business relationship. Starting the transaction, and continuing the transaction with the common thread of politeness will enhance positive reviews for each customer experience. It’s simple, yet grossly overlooked. Maybe it’s time to find out what your customers think of you? Don’t be shy… ask the question and be prepared to be a little shocked.

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Customers find great comfort when their vendors operate in patterns that are consistent, and good for the customer. Inconsistency is one of the most common occurrences in business today. The companies that flourish are those that operate with a set of standard operating procedures that becomes an insurance policy for consistency.

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Successful businesses don’t live on the extremes where people either really like you, or really dislike you. Successful businesses, learn how to win the middle staying away from the exterior. Utilizing the tenants of professionalism is the best way to avoid the traps of being on the outer edges. Winning the middle acts is like an insurance policy that leads to healthy repeat and referral customers levels.

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Business streakers are fast operators who vanish just before they get the project ball across the finish line. These enthusiastic beginners magically disappear at critical times. As a result, customer projects yawn past expected completion dates, and the streaker fails to answer crucial phone calls, emails, text messages, or knocks on the door. Poof! Gone! Nowhere to be found! Then all of a sudden, like an unexpected sand storm, the streaker reappears to frantically bring the project across the finish line with a flurry of issues, mistakes and excuses. If you are a company leader, we encourage you to locate your streakers, and then STOP them before they ruin your company. Retrain them if possible, or remove them. This is why customers detest business streakers. Customers want even-keeled project management that avoids streaky service hampered by problems!

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We are going to flip the tables and talk about customers for one minute. As vendors attempt to provide quality services, questions may arise that need customer input, or direction. The customers can be both invoice-paying customers, or internal associates. Regardless, I have watched many transactions travel through time-wasting, and money-wasting rapids that could have been avoided with expedient, and comprehensive customer feedback. Do you want smooth and timely transactions? Okay, then answer 100% of the questions you are asked, and answer them with punctuality! Quality transactions are usually paid for with the two-sided, customer/vendor coin.

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This can be a fun, simple and productive exercise. Start by asking yourself for the top three things that irritate you when you purchase something? Then, hunt within your own company to see if these pain points exist within your operational structure. Once found, eradicate them and replace them with customer-pleasing services. Do this exercise periodically, and turn your lemons into saleable lemonade.

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