Customers are experts, not ‘consumers’

Organizations of all kinds have been forced to pay more attention to their customers. Many do it pro-actively. The most enlightened build their organization around the customer – instead of thinking first about profit margins they ask how to serve the customer in ways that create and grow profit.

Still, we tend to think of the customer as a half-empty vessel – a consumer – to be filled up with messages and pitches about our services and products. This, despite visible evidence that they no longer want to be thought of this way. In fact, they now say; know me, know my preferences and serve me the way I want to be served.

Customers have always been experts in what they want for their lives – they have always known much better than the marketers. With the net, social media etc., the former ‘consumers’ have become real experts in what they want for their lives. This is not to say they have infinite knowledge and wisdom – they don’t! But, the job of marketers is to add to the expertise of their customers and satisfy their needs.

How?

• Stop asking them about what they think of your product/service – that’s bound to be a thin conversation

• Ask about what’s working in their lives generally, then specifically in the area where we have some expertise to share

• Take them seriously, but not literally.  They can’t always express their expertise in ways that translate readily through research

• When developing your marketing / sales message think about innovative ways to align with their knowledge and expertise

What evidence do I have for this assertion that customers are experts. Go visit an Apple store and buy something. Watch how Apple finds out what you already know, acknowledges your level of expertise and then finds ways to add value to your life. That’s how they get to charge so much for the Apple experience.