A Quiet Customer is Not Necessarily A Happy One

Let’s face it. We’re all busy.

Many of us customer service professionals are spread so thin these days that it’s often the case that we get lazy when it comes to checking in on our customers.

You know the ones; they’re quiet, they never complain, we’ve been doing business with them for years…etc.  So why open Pandora’s Box, right?

However with complacency comes risk. Risks none of us can afford.

The “quiet” scares me more than an unhappy customer. At least with a dis-satisfied customer, you have the opportunity to fix a problem which made your customer unhappy.

It also comes down to keeping yourself and your company relevant in a world where competition can scoop your customer away in the blink of an eye.

The implications of complacency are enormous. Outlined below are some of the implications of being complacent:

• Turnover- what if the contact you’ve built a relationship with is no longer there and you have to start over with someone who knows nothing about you? It’s like starting the sales process all over again. Who wants that?
• Competition– How would you know if your customer is shopping for a better deal? You’d be better off knowing that beforehand so as to have the opportunity to compete.
• Relevancy– Does your customer know who you are? It’s not beyond the realm of possibilities to think that your customer has no idea who you are and what you do, especially if the only correspondence they have with your company is a monthly invoice, going directly to their accounts payable department.
• Relationship- A friendly, trusting relationship with your customer goes a long way for so many reasons. If your customer knows who you are, if they like you and trust you, they will tell you if anything is wrong. In the case that they are shopping, they are more likely to give you a chance to compete or protect your relationship by giving you a head’s up.

Be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE. Know your customers concerns before it becomes an issue.

Know your customer, but more importantly, let them know you!