The Personal Touch in Business
Dennis AuBuchon
June 05, 2009
The personal touch in business is something we need more of today. Many times as consumers we do not experience the personal touch when we purchase products or service. The personal touch may not be something new but it is something which I feel is greatly lacking in most businesses today. Some may say that large companies have a difficult time in creating a personal touch environment but I say they are wrong.
Some may ask what I mean by a personal touch environment in business but others already know what it is as it is part of their business operations and philosophy. To those who instill the personal touch in their business operations I congratulate you. In today´s economy businesses need an edge to keep the customers they have and gain new ones. It does not have to be a major activity as the simple things are the ones that mean the most to customers. It can be as little as a manager greeting customers at the door or supervisors talking to customers while they shop.
There are two sides of the personal touch in business those that have it and those that do not. When customers visit a company for products or service the personal touch can clearly be seen in the faces of the employees. It is an atmosphere that can be seen in the way employees conduct business with customers. Businesses should project that their customers are the most important thing in their business and this should be displayed through all levels of company employees. There are times when different levels of quality/cost exist and employees must take an active interest in their customer needs. They need to explain the differences and provide details as to the best product for their needs and pocket book. This does not always involve the most expensive or least expensive item. It is important to keep customers happy so they come back.
There are times when customers do not want to be bothered when they are shopping and in these circumstances employees must leave customers alone but be available when they need them. We all know what it means to have a personal touch in the things we do or make. It makes us feel great. Apply this same philosophy to business and how it would make you feel if someone took an active interest in your needs when you want a product or service. The personal touch also involves not trying to sell a customer something they do not want. An example is trying to sell a higher priced item when what they want is out of stock or is of lower quality. This kind of philosophy is the reverse of giving the personal touch. It involves an approach to make the sale vs. taking an active role in what the customer wants Businesses must make sure that the products they sell are quality products with which their customers will be happy.
Another aspect of the personal touch is anticipating the needs of your customers. The software industry is a good example of society which is constantly improving their programs to make them better for their customers. This involves not only making the programs more user friendly but providing more options even when customers may not realize they need them. It also involves anticipating the needs of business in the future to help their customers be more competitive by supplying needed resources. Companies must adapt to changing the way they do business to be better aligned with the needs of their customers. It not only helps you be more competitive but it also helps your customers be more competitive if what you are offering is not presently available.
Companies must cater to their customers for without them they will not succeed. Customer service operations play a big part in establishing a personal touch atmosphere in a company. It is the one operation of a company that can make or break a company. Poor customer service can lose customers or good customer service can help to increase them. I have experienced both poor customer service and great customer service when buying products or services. As a customer it is up to companies to create an atmosphere where customers have a positive attitude about shopping at specific companies or locations. When I experience poor customer service or poor experiences where employees seem to not care about customers, they lose my business. These kinds of experiences and situations do occur.
The last point to make is that establishing a personal touch philosophy in business is critical in the economy of today. Many companies are closing or closing branch locations. Companies must create an atmosphere where the personal touch is the way to do business today and in the future. Those that create this atmosphere will be more successful than those that do not. Today there are many sources for the products and services we buy as consumers. It is important that companies project the image they care about the needs of their customers now and in the future. Sometimes this takes initiative to anticipate future needs and take steps to provide for that future need. Investing in software programs or developing new ones is one example where some companies are creating an environment which benefits customers and the company.
Our country is great and we have great products and services of which we can all be proud. Creating an environment of a personal touch philosophy will benefit any company in the long run as a global competitor. Consumers want to feel a company cares about them and their needs. Too often companies appear to be looking for the dollar and do not project an interest in the needs of their customers the way they should. Personal touch in business is not often talked about but when we experience it as a consumer it makes us feel appreciated and as such we return as a customer. Let us send the message to companies we want a personal touch atmosphere when we shop for the products and services they are providing. Attitude can play a big part in creating that atmosphere.
Some may ask what I mean by a personal touch environment in business but others already know what it is as it is part of their business operations and philosophy. To those who instill the personal touch in their business operations I congratulate you. In today´s economy businesses need an edge to keep the customers they have and gain new ones. It does not have to be a major activity as the simple things are the ones that mean the most to customers. It can be as little as a manager greeting customers at the door or supervisors talking to customers while they shop.
There are two sides of the personal touch in business those that have it and those that do not. When customers visit a company for products or service the personal touch can clearly be seen in the faces of the employees. It is an atmosphere that can be seen in the way employees conduct business with customers. Businesses should project that their customers are the most important thing in their business and this should be displayed through all levels of company employees. There are times when different levels of quality/cost exist and employees must take an active interest in their customer needs. They need to explain the differences and provide details as to the best product for their needs and pocket book. This does not always involve the most expensive or least expensive item. It is important to keep customers happy so they come back.
There are times when customers do not want to be bothered when they are shopping and in these circumstances employees must leave customers alone but be available when they need them. We all know what it means to have a personal touch in the things we do or make. It makes us feel great. Apply this same philosophy to business and how it would make you feel if someone took an active interest in your needs when you want a product or service. The personal touch also involves not trying to sell a customer something they do not want. An example is trying to sell a higher priced item when what they want is out of stock or is of lower quality. This kind of philosophy is the reverse of giving the personal touch. It involves an approach to make the sale vs. taking an active role in what the customer wants Businesses must make sure that the products they sell are quality products with which their customers will be happy.
Another aspect of the personal touch is anticipating the needs of your customers. The software industry is a good example of society which is constantly improving their programs to make them better for their customers. This involves not only making the programs more user friendly but providing more options even when customers may not realize they need them. It also involves anticipating the needs of business in the future to help their customers be more competitive by supplying needed resources. Companies must adapt to changing the way they do business to be better aligned with the needs of their customers. It not only helps you be more competitive but it also helps your customers be more competitive if what you are offering is not presently available.
Companies must cater to their customers for without them they will not succeed. Customer service operations play a big part in establishing a personal touch atmosphere in a company. It is the one operation of a company that can make or break a company. Poor customer service can lose customers or good customer service can help to increase them. I have experienced both poor customer service and great customer service when buying products or services. As a customer it is up to companies to create an atmosphere where customers have a positive attitude about shopping at specific companies or locations. When I experience poor customer service or poor experiences where employees seem to not care about customers, they lose my business. These kinds of experiences and situations do occur.
The last point to make is that establishing a personal touch philosophy in business is critical in the economy of today. Many companies are closing or closing branch locations. Companies must create an atmosphere where the personal touch is the way to do business today and in the future. Those that create this atmosphere will be more successful than those that do not. Today there are many sources for the products and services we buy as consumers. It is important that companies project the image they care about the needs of their customers now and in the future. Sometimes this takes initiative to anticipate future needs and take steps to provide for that future need. Investing in software programs or developing new ones is one example where some companies are creating an environment which benefits customers and the company.
Our country is great and we have great products and services of which we can all be proud. Creating an environment of a personal touch philosophy will benefit any company in the long run as a global competitor. Consumers want to feel a company cares about them and their needs. Too often companies appear to be looking for the dollar and do not project an interest in the needs of their customers the way they should. Personal touch in business is not often talked about but when we experience it as a consumer it makes us feel appreciated and as such we return as a customer. Let us send the message to companies we want a personal touch atmosphere when we shop for the products and services they are providing. Attitude can play a big part in creating that atmosphere.
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