Putting your customer first isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a mindset.
The success of any company hinges on its ability to understand and cater to the needs of its customers. In today’s competitive business landscape, it has become harder than ever to stand out and win the hearts of your customers. And while some might shift the blame to the short attention span of their customers, the real problem might be that we are not spending enough time to get to know them.
So, what does it really mean to put your customer first? Here are 5 things you should do:
- Remember that you might not be your customer
As entrepreneurs, because we dedicate our lives to solve problems we are passionate about, it is sometimes hard to recognise that our target audience might have different needs and perspectives from us. Assuming that our own needs are representative of an entire customer base, can lead to biased-decision making and could cause a disconnect from what the market actually requires.
- Understand their problems
Henry Ford once said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” And while some people usually use this quote to exclude the customer from the product design journey ,I would say the takeaway from the quote isn’t to ignore the customer but to understand their problems without necessarily asking them to provide a solution for it.
- Listen to their feedback
Feedback is key to any product’s success. Establishing a feedback loop from day 1 will not only help you ensure that your customers’ needs are met but will also help align your teams, processes and technology to adapt faster to changing market needs. But remember, listening to your audience doesn’t simply extend to what they are saying about you and your products. Observing wider trends and how your customer uses your product is just as important.
- Measure success
The reality is, the “build” phase of a product never ends. You build, you measure, you learn, you iterate, you repeat. That is usually how it goes. So to make it easier for you to kill bad ideas or features, you need to set your success criteria upfront. It helps keep you and the team focused on the end goal; i.e. solving a real problem for your customers.
- Be there for your customer
It is not your customer’s job to remember you, it is your responsibility to be there for them when they need you. Achieving “top of mind awareness” is not a simple and straightforward journey for any product brand, but the first step to getting there is establishing a two-way relationship with your customers where you can build trust and loyalty over time.
If you want to join our product focus group at Daleel and be part of helping improve financial wellbeing in the region, send us a message on our website.