Do you know your customer?

Scott Morey, Morey Corp.
Scott Morey, Morey Corp.

There are real people out there with many of the same needs, desires, problems and issues that you have. They have a job to do. They have demands and expectations that need to be met and a boss that at times can expect the impossible. Just like you, they want to be recognized and respected by their peers, supervisors and suppliers for doing a good job and also be rewarded by the company. And, just like you, they have a life outside of work, including family and friends.  Sometimes the stress of life impacts their behavior at work, and sometimes the stress of work impacts their life at home.
Customers are human, and like the rest of us, they are sometimes demanding, unreasonable, inconsiderate jerks. In my experience, most people do not want to act in a negative way, and when they do, it is usually because they have some problem or some need that is causing them pain. For most of us, pain is a call to action. We will do whatever we need to do to make the pain go away.
Your customer has specific goals, objectives, measurements and key success factors that will determine their success, raises and bonuses. At the same time, your customer has problems that impact their ability to meet those objectives. Remember this: Your customers’ every action and every request is motivated by some need or some pain. Do you know what it is? It may not be what you think. If you can discover your customers’ real needs and pain and help them to satisfy them, you have the key to a successful relationship.