by Sabine Brandt

Every now and then, I come across a resource that resonates with me on a deeper level and touches the core of what I am about, personally and professionally. Scott Stratten’s new book, UnSelling, is such a resource! The description I read on Amazon had me clapping my hands and shouting, “Yeesss!!!” This is what it said:

“UnSelling is about everything but the sell. We put all of our focus on the individual purchase transaction, while putting the rest of our business actions second. We’ve become blind to customer service, support, branding, experiences and even product quality. Sixty percent of a purchasing decision is made before a customer even contacts you. We have funnel vision, and it needs to stop.”

These five sentences perfectly capture how I feel about my clients as well as my experiences as a customer of other businesses.

All too often in recent years has my role as a customer been reduced to “the one who will give me her money” in exchange for poor quality products, dismal customer service, and zero effort to retain me as a long-term customer.

In my own business, there have been occasions when I had to take heat from coaches and other “experts” for insisting on a boutique business model (…I personally prefer the term “disciple-ship model”) rather than pursuing uber-automation strategies that would ensure I never have to submit myself to another 1:1 conversation with a customer.

I rebelled and refused! I love my clients and can’t fathom a business that robs me of the wonderful, divine appointments and interactions I have with them on a daily basis.

Yes, I could reach the masses by automating my entire business, but it is far more important to me to work with the specific Kingdom entrepreneurs God calls me to support. Don’t get me wrong, automation is fabulous and I use ample of it in my business, but when we start looking at our customers as “clicks and conversions” rather than individuals with purpose, we risk missing the entire point of the Kingdom marketplace.

Whether you run a small business or a multi-million dollar corporation, each individual customer interaction matters greatly, and we ought to treat it as such. From first contact to parting ways after a successful partnership, we should make our customers “feel the love”. Let’s show them how much we care—not about how much money they will make us but rather how well they will live their lives.

In my own business, that manifests itself as weekly check-ins just to say hi, carefully selected surprise gifts, loads of encouragement and prayer, and providing tangible support when needed. It means understanding what is happening in my clients’ businesses and lives, being available, and not hanging up the phone when we are in the middle of an important conversation because “our time is up”.

What are you doing in your business to show your customers you really care, before and after sales? If customer care is a weak point for you, use this article as your invitation to improve your processes and watch your customer loyalty and retention increase dramatically.

Sabine Brandt is president of Nobility Coaching and Consulting, Inc., and a certified business expert with nearly two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and corporate leader. Sabine delights in teaching her clients at www.nobilitycoaching.com how to create small businesses that not only provide financial freedom, but also a deep fulfillment of serving others and contributing to God’s greater plan.  In addition, Sabine serves as an executive coach and consultant to large organizations that wish to improve their operational processes and enhance their leadership capabilities.