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"It is the stress in people's lives and their assumptions about what will make some of that stress go away that determine what and where they buy. The real value that you bring to anyone's life is in making some of their stress go away. To the extent that you understand their stress better than your competitors, make it go away better than your competitors, and effectively communicate that powerful message, you will become their preferred supplier." So says Donald Cooper in his powerful audio tape program, Human Marketing: How to Become the Preferred Supplier of What You Sell.
People experience stress around what you sell. They may experience stress from their current salesperson. Their stress may be caused by not having what you sell. They may have tension and stress around the selling process. And they may have stress in how you are selling or servicing them now. They have stress when you arrive in their life, stress during the sale, and stress after the sale has been made. It's Cooper's premise, and I agree, that identifying and reducing these stresses will put you head and shoulders above your competition. To do this, you have to really get to know your prospects and customers. What is life like for them? You need to discover where the stress is for them. Once you truly know this, you can help reduce their stress.
Learn to Sense Stress As you sell and serve your customers, you must become a master at sensing their level of stress and responding appropriately. If they are stressed, you don't want to respond to them in a laid-back manner. Show that you understand the importance of their situation. Cooper tells of a letter he needed to send as part of a proposal for a contract worth $60,000. The woman who typed his letters charged $6 per letter. To him, it was a $60,000 letter. To her, it was a $6 letter. Unfortunately, she didn't respond to this task with his sense of urgency. She gave him a $6 response to his $60,000 need. He was left feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. Instead of working to relieve some of his stress, she contributed to it. Some customers will communicate their stresses to us quite clearly. But many will not. We must have our antenna tuned to picking it up. We must ask good questions that help us detect their areas of stress as they relate to what we sell and how we serve them. People who are indirect in their communication style may hold back in letting us know how important something is to them. We need to detect their true need and respond more powerfully.
Many times on appointments with prospects I'll come right out and ask them where they experience stress in their job - in general, and specifically around what I'm selling. I also do the same with some of my ongoing clients. The more I really know their world, the more I can serve them. Cooper says, "You must understand fully the value and importance of what you do from the customer's point of stress." When your customer calls, there is probably some stress-related reason. If she has to leave a message, she is left with that stress until she hears from you. Always return customers' calls right away; get a beeper and cellular phone, and give them your home phone number. Have your voice-mail message state when you'll be back in the office and who they can contact in an emergency.
Think and Feel Like Your Customers
When Donald Cooper was the owner of an extremely successful women's clothing store, he became a master at exceeding his customers' expectations. He didn't use traditional research to determine what they expected; he thought and felt like a customer. Then he used his creativity and imagination to implement ways to exceed their expectations. His customers (and especially their spouses) expected a place to sit down for a few minutes. So Cooper used his creativity and exceeded that expectation by providing electric reclining massage chairs. He says, "I wanted something so that when they came to my store they'd sit down and go 'Wow.' And they'd laugh and have fun. They'd tell others about it." I can only imagine the response of the men who came in with their women. They probably sat back, got a little sleepy, and said, "Take all the time you need, honey. I'm fine."
The Four Currencies
Cooper contends that there are four currencies in people's lives: Money, Time, Feeling Safe, and Feeling Special. "Most people think there is only one currency, money, therefore, they can think of only one way to compete - price. But when you realize that there are four currencies in people's lives, there are hundreds of ways to compete. He suggests you make a list of how you can exploit the currencies other than money. What can you do to save your customers time, help them feel safe, or give them a special experience every time you serve them?
As customers, you and I often receive inferior service because of the transgressions of others. Signs in clothing stores limit us to three items in the changing room; other signs tell us not to bring food or beverages into the store; and we aren't allowed to use the telephone if our shopping spree is making us late for another commitment. In his store, Alive & Well, Cooper broke all the rules. He invited shoppers to take as many items into the changing rooms as they wished. Result: they bought more merchandise. He provided a free beverage bar. Result: people stayed in the store longer. He provided four courtesy phones so people could make local calls. Result: people shopped longer and bought more. His customer washrooms included changing tables with three sizes of diapers, diaper wipes, and cream. Result: mothers of young children were amazed and told all of their friends. And since their experience at Alive & Well was always a pleasant one, they came back again and again.
Six Steps to Reduce Stress
Donald Cooper shares his six steps to the creative process to reduce customer stress:
1. Using your new and improved understanding of your customers' stress, make a complete list of those stresses in three categories: stress about life in general, buying what you sell, and specifically buying from you.
2. Define your business by how you add value to people's lives, and list the specific ways you will add that value better than your competitors. This will become your service mission.
3. Discipline yourself to look at your business through your customers' eyes -- inside and out. Study every part of your business to make sure that you are noticed, remembered, trusted, and preferred.
4. Open your mind and heart to new possibilities. Challenge your assumptions and the assumptions of those around you. Create an environment of intellectual integrity and curiosity.
5. Learn how to use everyday events to jump-start your own creativity... every day.
6. Know when you need help in the creative process and carefully hire the best people you can afford. You are the manager of the creative process, but that doesn't mean you have to do it all yourself.
I think seeing your customers from the point of view of their stress can be a very powerful way to examine how you sell and serve your customers. I want to acknowledge Donald Cooper's unique perspective.
Your customers are judging your service based on the best service they're getting from someone. Once they experience first class service, they begin to expect that same level of service from everyone. Because they know you could deliver it if you put the time, energy, caring, and resources into it.
The bar is constantly being raised. You must keep pace with your customers' rising expectations. And better yet, be the one raising the bar. Take the time and creative energy to make sure you are doing everything you can to deliver top notch service - not from your perspective, but from the perspective of your customers.
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