Indifference- The Killer of Business

From the book “How To Talk To Customers,” according to a study conducted by the Rockefeller Corporation of Pittsburgh . They asked 450 business executives to identify the most common reasons why a customer stopped doing business with them. -            Death    - 1 percent -            A move or relocation - 2 percent -            A relationship with a salesperson - 4 percent -            Price and other relevant costs - 11 percent -            Dissatisfaction with the product - 14 percent -            Attitude of indifference from someone representing the company - 68 percent Does that attitude of indifference ever creep into your workplace? If it does, you’re losing customers because of it. I was gobsmacked when I saw that figure. Almost 70 percent of business is lost because of a lack of interest being exhibited by someone. Wow! Time to do something about it. Immediately! How To Talk To Customers by Dianne Berenbaum and Tom Larkin presents a systematic approach to dealing with customers with empathy, honesty and integrity. If everyone used their system, this world would be a much more pleasant place.

Comments

[mark]

Do we know when this survey was originally done? I'm a corporate trainer. We've been citing this survey for over a year and I don't know when it was done. I cannot find a cite for it. I don't think this is the first publishing since the book was published in March 07.

[Liz]

So true! Some years back, we had an account that was a big player in the commercial garbage business across North America - they made an average 1% GROSS margin and were looking to increase profit by introducing all kinds of operational improvements. Our client, a very smart guy, cannily commissioned some research to find out the biggest issues among customers. You'd think that small businesses would say "It's the price, dummy" (which is what the sales force said whenever they were asked how come their renewal rates were so low) but in fact, it was indifference. Customers were romanced into buying a 3-year contract, and then never saw or heard from anyone at the company until it was time to renew, 3 years later. Our client showed how a simple, regular, personalized communications program (we designed and managed it,and it was pretty cool)would kick start renewals - then he told the regional GMs they couldn't have it until they hit all 13 of the operational standards the research said were also important to customers. It was a campaign I'm proud of to this day. The most powerful piece? A series of postcards, personalized "from" the individual sales rep to the owner of the customer business, saying everything from "Happy Holidays" to "Happy Anniversary - we've been doing business for a year". Now, how hard is that!