Business Tip of the Week...

Use your customers' challenges as the key to unlock the door of opportunity for your business. View your customers' challenge as a situation in need of repair to open the door of opportunity for your business to provide a solution. Make certain the solution provided fits the challenge.

When a challenge arises for your customer, seize that as a formidable growth opportunity for your company. Take time to work with your customer to: 1) Engage their thought process relating to the "why" and "how" aspects of their challenge; 2) Determine if their challenge has an immediate (short-term) or long-range affect; 3) Differentiate between what they want and actually need to be able to resolve their challenge; and, 4) Explore methods to implement a solution that meets their total satisfaction.

This method makes your customer the real force in solving their challenge. Working with your company's guidance, you put them in the driver's seat. They become the basic ingredient for a successful solution...themselves.

The main resource your company must provide is the skill of listening. As you begin the solution process, fine tune your listening skills. Being a keen listener allows you to decipher what your customer is saying, or not saying. Next listen for an understanding of what they are experiencing (the main problem) and what the potential risk is to their business. Finally, listen to their desired end-result (outcome) wanted. Now you are ready to provide your customer with a true value-add solution.

Remember your customer's desired outcome for their business and from your company is 100% satisfaction!

“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.” Peter F. Drucker