Who are the “customers” and what do they expect?
It may sound unbelievable, but in many organizations there is a lack of clarity about who exactly “the customers” are. This is because many candidates often come into question.
Take a car factory, for example. Who is involved in this B2B area (business customers
) the customer?
- Is it the person who ultimately drives the car (“end customer”)?
- Is it the car dealer who buys the car in stock?
- Is it the responsible department of the car manufacturer that orders the construction of cars in the factory?
Is it the next employee on the production line who can only guarantee good quality himself if he has previously guaranteed good quality?
quality
receives
?
In this example, it is easy to argue that everyone is a “customer” – after all, it is
one A matter of perspective. In everyday working life, however, it makes difficult and not very tangible.
The key to success is to focus on the group(s) with a high degree of influenceability. influenceability and impact is given. From the perspective of the car factory, it is the internal organization that has ordered the construction of the cars. From the employee’s perspective, it may be the next person on the production line.
It is often not easy in the B2C sector (private customers) either. For example, who is the customer in a tennis school?
- Is it the child taking the tennis lessons?
- Is it the mother who has enrolled the child in tennis lessons and is paying?
- Is it the tennis association that co-finances tennis training for talented children?
At the end of the day, your job is to meet the expectations and needs of your customers. The closer this is to your sphere of influence, the more promising the project is.
No customer ever buys a product. He always buys what the product does for him.
Customers have a range of expectations of companies that can influence their purchasing decisions and their loyalty to the brand. These are usually very individual. Here are five typical examples:
Product and service quality: Customers expect the products and services they buy to be of high quality and to meet their needs.
Customer service: They expect excellent customer service, including quick responses to inquiries and effective solutions to their problems.
Value for money: Customers expect the cost of a product or service to be in proportion to the quality and benefits they derive from it.
Transparency and honesty: Customers expect companies to be transparent and honest in their communication and business practices.
Sustainability and ethical behavior: More and more customers expect companies to act sustainably and ethically responsibly, including respecting human rights and minimizing their environmental footprint.
Instead of products and services, customers increasingly expect solutions to their problems and needs. The expectations of your customers are usually set by the market and/or technology and/or cost and/or service leader.
The customer who goes to the DIY store and wants to buy a drill often only needs a hole in the wall.
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