Growth Factorials

Once, in a B2B business, a customers placed a renewal order with us. However, there was a problem. He still owed us money from the last time he ordered. It had been 9 months delay. The customer service person requested him to pay the due amount so that he could initiate the delivery. The customer was offended. He was furious. He said that we should be ashamed in demanding this money when he needed the delivery as he was not running away. He also issued an ultimatum. If we delayed the delivery even by a day, he would cancel the order. My team member panicked and apologised; and somehow pacified him.

When I came to know about this incident, I was upset. Here, even though we did a good job with our services, it seemed like we had to apologise to the customer who had not kept his promise of paying us on time and was being rude to us. This is not a one-off incident. I have seen customer facing teams many times in similar situations.

I see a cultural nuance- somehow, in India, we believe that those in sales or service are socially inferior to the customer. The truth is providing a service does not make you inferior to a customer. It is a professional exchange of value, a commitment that should be honoured by all. A service provider should deliver the product or service as committed and a customer should pay as per agreed terms. If there is a gap, it should be bridged with professionalism, and mutual respect.

In light of such challenges, a resilient framework emerges for customer-facing teams:

1. Value Exchange Recognition: Understand and articulate the value your organization adds to customers. Your conviction in your product, service, and organization lays the groundwork for a robust relationship with your customers.
2. Role Excellence: Go above and beyond, deliver value, and earn the trust and respect of your customers through consistent delivery of exceptional service.
3. Assertive Communication: Cultivate the art of assertive communication without being rude. Develop this skill through continuous practice, ensuring your voice is heard effectively.
4. Communication Ownership: Represent your company with authority, pride, and ownership. You are not merely a messenger; you are the voice of your organization, embodying its values and principles.
5. Self-Respect: Establish a foundation of self-respect. Acknowledge your worth and demand the respect you deserve, fostering a positive self-image and reinforcing professionalism.
6. Courage to Walk Out: If faced with an unreasonable customer, muster the courage to walk away. Build a diverse portfolio of appreciative customers, enabling you to sever ties with those who undervalue you and your services.

Navigating customer relationships demands a delicate balance of sincerity, professionalism, and mutual respect. By embodying this framework, customer-facing teams can navigate challenges with resilience and integrity, fostering enduring and mutually beneficial relationships.