2/26/2013
Today’s Topic:
Do You Have Customers
Or Clients? Your Answer Could Determine
Your Success!
I walked into the grocery store the
other day to pick up a few things I needed for lunch this week, and learned an
important lesson about the difference between being treated as a “customer”
rather than as a “client.” If you want the main point of this article, skip to the next section header.
When I approached the fresh fruit
and vegetable stands, I began browsing through stacks of avocados, apples, and
oranges, trying to select the best one but always doubting whether I made the correct
choice. There were a few people there
who could have helped me, but they didn’t seem to budge from watering the lettuce. Next, I wandered down the aisles for a bit,
searching desperately for the bread; I tried to find a clerk but did not see
anyone.
Finally, I approached the cash
register. Once I arrived, I smiled at
the clerk and said “hi, how are you today?”
She didn’t look up at me, but she smiled, said “hello,” and began slowly
swiping my food through. The young high
school student at the end of the register was busy talking with another
customer, a young woman who anxiously wanted to make it out of the store, and
my groceries began piling up at the end
of the counter. This student eventually
turned around, said nothing, and began bagging my food. After all of this, I swiped my card, said “thank-you,”
and left.
If you were to ask me after this
experience how I would rate the “customer” service at this grocery store, I
would laugh and say, “what service?” No
one was available to assist me, the clerks were unwelcoming, and I spent at
least a third of my time wandering about the aisles trying to find the food I
needed. Now, ask me another
question: will you return to that
grocery store? My answer is yes.
We Must Have Clients, NOT Customers
You might ask why I would return to the store despite the dismal service I received. The answer is simple: I don’t expect great
service at the grocery store, because I am a customer, not a client. A customer is someone who comes and goes, who
purchases a product or service, uses it up, and may come back once again if
they require the product again. They are
nomadic, transient, and often care little about the service they get until
frustration sets in.
Now,
what do you think of when you hear the word “client”?
Is it a man sitting at a long table in a courtroom? If that’s the case, you may want to consider
updating that image. The fact is that
your “customers,” the ones that purchase your services, who depend on your
abilities for their success, would much rather be considered “clients.”
After all, what is the basis of the
relationship between a lawyer and his client?
It’s based upon mutual respect, trust, and an understanding that the
lawyer has the intellectual capability and stamina to follow through, and
accomplish the client’s objectives. As a
tutor and small business owner, do you not have those same goals? Do your “customers” not expect the same
relationship from you? If you
consider the students and parents who
inquire about your services as “customers,” you place them in the category of a
one-time sale where service comes second, pure and simple. You define them in terms of the dollars and
cents they provide, not in terms of the relationship you seek to build with
them. If you run your business like a
retail store, your “customers” will search for better service elsewhere. If you place relationships and your ability
to meet and exceed expectations first, your “clients” will recognize this, and
will not only return to you whenever they need help, but will refer
others.
Remember that we are in a profession where a building a
relationship and providing a service that actually improves a client’s quality
of life are paramount to our success. We
just need to serve our clients, rather than sell to our customers.
Stay Tuned for Our Next Entry!
Jonathan Jones
Assistant Director
Academic Learning Labs
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679
