Rich DeLong - SR Director of Experience
SRI Management - srimgt.com
rich.delong@srimgt.com

October 30, 2022
What Do Customers Want? Do you remember the saying, “The customer is always right”? Well, we all know that customers aren’t “always” right. But customers do want certain things; and if they can get them, they will be delighted customers – and happy customers are typically repeat customers. They are also loyal and will refer business to you. So, what do customers want? Well, that’s easy. Yes, the first thing they want is the product or process to be “Easy”!

Years ago, Staples made the phrase “That Was Easy”, very popular. And thanks to some creative marketing, it stuck. Today it’s the number one thing that people want. They want it easy. Whatever it is, whatever they must do, however the product is used, and wherever they must go, it Has to be easy. Anything beyond that, and you lose the customer almost immediately. So, whatever you do, make sure it is easy for your customers.

The second thing customers want – they want it “Personalized”. Think about this, how many times have we rewarded an employee with something that really has no meaning to them. It seems like a nice gesture, but in the end, the offering falls flat because the reward has no meaning and is not personal to them. If we are going to attract good people to work for us - and remember that the people that work for us are our number one customer - then we have to personalize how we appreciate and reward the people that we count on every day.

It goes the same for those who purchase our products and services. Unless we tailor-design our products and services for each individual, we basically are offering the same thing as everyone else. Once again, that won’t cut it in today’s competitive-rich market.

The third thing customers want is “Great Employees”. Years ago, the best way to get great employees was to hire them. This no longer applies in our present-day circumstances. Yes, it is still important to hire the best people possible, but great people are hard to come by. So, what is the key to getting great people? Investing in them is the best way to ensure that our employees will be great. When we invest in employees, our employees will invest in you, the customer. We have to devote a tremendous amount of time, effort, and love to our employees and customers. The more time we spend investing in others, the more return we get on our investment. It’s that simple. One word that comes to mind when speaking about investing in people is compassion. Compassionate leaders and owners of businesses will always reap tremendous rewards when they take the time to help others grow. Remember, we reap what we sow.

The fourth thing customers want is a “Relationship”. Everything we do and experience hinges on relationships. When we build relationships, we are also building our business. Creating relationships also means building trust. Think about it - do customers really want to do business with someone they don’t trust?

Building relationships with people is paramount to providing great products and services. Again, here’s that word compassion. In order to build relationships with people, we must be compassionate in everything we do. Because everybody is facing a battle of their own. The more compassionate we are, the more we begin to understand the complexities, needs and desires of others. That’s the first step to building a solid relationship. The next step is “time”. Because time is so critical for everyone, we must be intentional in our efforts to be compassionate and to understand each other. Time is the key ingredient to compassion. Without it, we will never be able to have lasting connections with people. This is probably why we see so many broken and failed relationships in society today. It all boils down to time.

The final expectation customers have is a desire for an “Experience”. Think about the last time you as a customer were extremely satisfied. My guess is that along with your satisfaction, was quite an experience. Your expectations were exceeded, and you were utterly amazed and impressed with the product and/or services. This is what all great businesses strive for - that over the top, better-than-ever, wonderful feeling, and ever-exceeding experience.

Truthfully, it rarely happens nowadays. Since Covid we have groomed our businesses to meet the basic necessities and needs of our customers, and we are happy just getting close to meeting the customers’ needs. Exceeding expectations is becoming a thing of the past, along with great customer service.

Serving Seniors is different; and was born out of a desire to serve, help, and exceed the expectations of our customers. We have designed our services to focus on helping others. We have servant leaders that are not only professionally trained, they also have an altruistic desire to make the process of finding the right home for you “Easy”! During this process, we “Personalize” our services and develop meaningful “Relationships” with you. Our People are “Great”; and will earn your admiration and respect. They genuinely want to help!

Lastly, we guarantee that working with our Senior Services professionals will offer tremendous ‘Experiences” for you, not just during the process of finding a home, but beyond the day that you move in. Once we establish a relationship with you, we maintain it and keep it forever. It’s our promise.

How may we serve you today?