Much of Michael Dell’s early success for Dell Computers stemmed from his vision that focused on knowing what his customers needed. The most successful organizations are those lead by customer-orientated leaders. Far too many people in leadership positions falsely believe they know what their customers, and potential future customers, need. Often one relies on prior experience that may provide a knowledge base that is no longer current, thus making decisions that are not relevant.
When we forget to ask customers for feedback about a recent purchase of a product or service, we fail to build stronger relationships that can result in repeat business and referrals. The “Voice of the Customer” needs to be heard and taken into consideration for both short- and long-term planning. One such way is to collect customer needs and concerns. More times than not, we can address and provide for customerneeds, whereas what a customer wants may not be possible to satisfy.
Knowing the difference between customer needs and wants is important in regard to the products and services you offer. When asking about customer needs, you have the opportunity to improve the quality of your product and serve your customers to a greater degree.
