The emotional gap between a customer’s tear and a smile is smaller than you might think.
You know this if you’ve ever disputed a bill with a cable company.
Where you see a connection, you will see pain and happiness follow suit. The pure pain of rejection when a customer returns a product vs. the simple joy they feel when your product solves their pain.
A few years ago I was asked for a refund on an ebook that I wrote and I turned into a blubbering mess. In my defense this was just the straw that broke my back. I was at my day job and just reprimanded for a project that failed. When I got the email I had no idea why they didn’t like my book, I just saw refund request and I lost it. I went to the company’s private bathroom and cried like a little boy who lost his little wubbie.
In that moment I knew I was never going to leave my job that drove me nuts. I was stuck.
So instead of just giving a refund I emailed him back to set-up a quick call. I wanted to learn more. I found out he was unhappy because it didn’t solve his problem the way he thought it would. He didn’t know how to apply the information to his life. I offered to give him a free coaching session as well as refund his money.
He ended up becoming a long-term coaching client. I turned his pain into joy and mine as well.
Your customers reach out to you because they are in pain. They need help and they choose you.
It’s your job to relieve their pain and make them smile.
Not stomp on their toes and offer them a bandaid. I know you don’t do this on purpose, but some customers might feel this way. That’s why creating open lines of communication is so important.
If I would have only refunded his money his pain would have essentially doubled. He would have to start all over again, which is much more painful than any other part of the process. I would have also lost out on the knowledge of creating more actionable ebooks that are easier to apply to business.
I eventually escaped that awful job. I’m feel so lucky to run a successful business that helps health and wellness companies reach more customers. It’s not perfect and I struggle with happiness like everyone else, but each day I thank my lucky stars that I’m not at the job anymore. This memory helps me stay grounded and remember why I started my business.
Understand your customer’s pain. It’s this spark from within that will help you deliver great results.
* Do you need someone that can help look at your sales process objectively and show you where you have connection gaps and how to close them? Then let’s chat. Just fill out his short customer discovery form.