The Business Bulletin
Always remember your customers Or to put it another way – never forget who your customers are!
I remember well a poster on a
service they want (and expect) from
organisations re-focussed on online
warehouse wall, placed strategically
their suppliers.
only sales, it provides an insight into
above the packing and despatch desk, which read – “Customers make paydays happen” That was just as I was starting
Long before Basil arrived at Fawlty Towers, John Cleese made several training films. They were memorable, not least because of Cleese’s comic
what the future retail environment may look like. Certainly, where a younger target audience is concerned. So, to conclude on this example,
out in sales, early on in my career.
delivery, but they all conveyed a
it’s not all about COVID-19, but
But it struck me then as being very
serious message. One such was called
partly it is down to companies not
succinct, whilst at the same time,
“Who Killed the Sale”. I’m sure it’s
providing the service their customers
summing up the whole essence
somewhere out there on YouTube.
are expecting in today’s market.
of what we were there to achieve –
It highlighted the point above very
great customer service. The basics
well, and showed clearly, that a sale
don’t change over the years!!
can be lost by all and anyone in an
There have been many other well known phrases and sayings coined about “customers”, and a couple that come immediately to mind are –
organisation, not just the salesperson dealing with the order up front. Another (sadly) great example of what happens when companies forget who their customers are and
“If you don’t look after your customers, then someone else will” – and “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” – Henry Ford.
what they want, can be seen the length and breadth of the country, on today’s High Streets. Whilst the immediate cause of a great deal of the retail failures announced in the last few months has been laid at the door of “the pandemic”, the truth is that many
John Milner Alium Consultants When the opportunity came about to set up his own business, John decided there was an opportunity to help SME business owners gain a quicker, more effective presence in international markets, based on his own experiences.
It always amazes me to see
of the companies concerned were
how some companies treat their
struggling already, with dwindling
belt and works with business owners to
customers. Almost with contempt –
customers and a consequent
help them make a success of exporting,
like an inconvenience.
shrinking of sales revenues.
The poster I mentioned above
If, for example, we look at
was displayed in the warehouse
how some well-known and long-
for good reason. Every person in
established traditional brands, have
an organisation, whether customer
been recently bought by newer, more
facing or not, has a role to play in
current brands, branch estates closed
providing the customer with the
and the new look (no reference)
8 | Issue 10 – Sales and Marketing
He has more than 20 years under his
enabling them to win and retain new customers quickly, while minimising the costs and risks, often associated with breaking into new markets. 07713 614942 john@aliumconsultants.com aliumconsultants.com
