You don’t fatten a pig by weighing it

You don’t fatten a pig by weighing it

This is such a great truism which was brought to mind recently when I attended a meeting about branding and image. There appeared to be an idea that with the right branding and imagery the organization can improve its customer focus.  

The two are related, but the former doesn’t lead to the latter!

What struck me was that the meeting didn’t include any customer representation and focused solely on how the organization described and presented itself rather than the actual process of engaging customers.

A long time ago someone explained to be the difference between the following phrases.

Can I help you? – This is a ‘closed’ question.  If asked this a customer can have only one logical response YES or NO. These YES/NO questions are the classic staple of automated call centers everywhere and perhaps the least favorite of customers.

How can I help you? – This is an ‘open’ question and invites a response. It is engaging and flexible and perhaps a favorite since it is gives access to endless possibilities and is about YOU the customer.

I’m here to help – This is a ‘job description’. It could be applied to anything from nursing to engineering.

When organizations say they are customer focused do they mean the customer influences the origination (what is does, how it does it) or is it about the organization convincing the customer with the right branding and image that they really care?

There is a difference: The first is about listening to change the organization to suit the customer. The other is about influencing the customer to choose the organization.

Beware! Asking How can I help you? is likely to create expectation and obligation. If you are truly customer focused this is where you can outperform your competition who are less flexible. However if, like an automated call center, you only have limited options you may be setting yourself and your customer for disappointment: Computer says NO!

Tim Rogers

Founder ciChange

timrogers@ciChange.org

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/CI-Change-4301853

ciChange seminar and networking events for 2013 sponsored by Total Solutions Group http://www.tsgi.co/