Customers are people ya know
“Consumers are statistics. Customers are people.”
~Stanley Marcus
Run your business blog like a tyrant? Have you seen some of the company blogs out there that do?
I find it a little disturbing when I see a blog that’s run like a boot camp. That is, a blog where it’s obvious that the blog writer (translated: business owner) allows the problem comments to be posted, but only to show that they are definitely large and in charge. That things will be done THEIR way, on their good time.
Sure, some of these blogs have a lot of readers and customers, it’s what keeps them going. What’s more interesting is to go back through their blog sometimes and see where they started out in their customer service efforts. More times than not they started very friendly and eager to help. Catering to their customers every whim and request. Or at least trying their best to respond to each comment with a tone that reflects a smile and willingness to earn their business.
But give some of these blog tycoons a few months at the keys and they turn into monsters sometimes. Talking to their customers rudely and indifferently, as if they could never possibly lose them….
Guess what?
They can lose them, and likely will. Because somebody out there that is reading the same blog and watching how your clients are treated is not your customer. They are a potential or current competitor. They are watching you for different reasons. Reading what you have written and observing your customer service, or lack thereof, and taking notes.
Figuring out just exactly how they are going to treat your customers better so that they can take them away from you.
Yup, they might even be posting on your blog daily. A regular contributor to your blogs community.
Let’s remember one thing about business, shall we?
If you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a crummy day or if you are arguing with your wife. It doesn’t matter if sales are rotten or if you had to work long hours all week. Not to your readers. All that matters to the average corporate blog reader is service with a smile. Walking away with a feeling that they’re in good hands, because your comment response to their problem was cheerful and what they wanted to hear.
So put your bad mood on a shelf and run your blog like you opened your doors yesterday and still need each and every new customer you can possibly get.
Because you do.