How To Meet Customer Expectations In This Changing Marketplace.

Customer Expectations & Change

Things are always changing as are what customers expect when they do business.  Are you ready? Or struggling to keep up? Change has been the one constant of existence on our planet as the marketplace history shows. Shifts occur in the nature of these changes as well as the speed can vary too.

In 1993 (the year the Internet became publically available), an unprecedented confluence of innovations has further compressed the time of these changes. This can produce high levels anxiety or frustration for business, particularly those not on top of these changes. Some product lifecycles can be as little as 90 days or less. Some call this innovation, and it drives customer expectations. In fact sometimes they become so integrated into our daily lives that we often don't even realize that they are in fact causing expectations to change and quite fast.

But what about your business's anxiety and frustration? Don't get caught out. Keep focused on your WIIFM What's In It For Me view of your customers.  Now for some good news. You can avoid this anxiety, frustration and possible failure because if you know what your customers' evolving expectations are, you can be the one getting the sale.  Some suggestions to ask them about as often as you can:

1. What do you want?
2. When do you want it?
3. What do you want it to do?
4. How do you want me to tell you about it?
5. How do you want it delivered?

Keep track of the answers and compare over time and differing customer segments and markets as applicable to your business. Remember what customers told you yesterday will provide all the information you need about future products, service and technology, and in particular your social media and mobile strategy. This famous quote really helps illustrate how you can embrace this into your business: "Get closer than ever to your customers, so close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves" Steve Jobs

It's no secret that if you want to know what your business should be doing tomorrow, next month and next year, ask your customers. They already know and will gladly tell you about their changing expectations if you give them the opportunity.  Be different than your competition, be a step ahead.

Contact one of our small business specialists for a no-obligation consultation to see how you stay ahead of your competition. For results you can count on, contact us at 1 844 577 7654 or at solutions@bizmetrics.ca  and as always please keep your feedback and suggestions for our blogs and newsletters coming.