For marketers who walk the walk

The Internet has changed the nation’s psyche. You can shop in a virtual environment; use virtual money to pay for goods and for many services, such as gas, electricity insurance and you don’t even see the product you have paid for – that too is virtual. It’s all a bit bizarre in some respects. It allows you to find the best deals and chop and change according to your needs. It has given people a good deal more power than they had pre-internet. With the growth of buying power we have also seen a change in service level expectations. No matter what we are spending, the belief is that all things in the business world are equal and should you experience a substandard service – however you perceive this – the understanding is that you have a right to protest. Well, perhaps you do, but how justified are your expectations? I would like to explore this idea with regards to how businesses consider their position in delivering ‘great expectations’ – but for many legitimate reasons may fall short in their endeavours.

Living a stone’s throw from Cheltenham racecourse you would expect the occasional indulgence betting on the horses. Indeed, I do succumb to the temptation and use this magnificent facility, dedicated to the sport of the Kings, to entertain many of our clients. It’s a great feeling when the horse you’ve backed comes in at 10 to 1. This is followed by a smug feeling of contentment because, having checked the form, read the Racing Post and triangulated my thoughts with my guests – I convince myself that I have made the right selection – or more accurately made an educated guess. Sadly, when someone wins, someone has to lose. The temptation to gamble has preyed on human vulnerability since time immemorial and has permeated the depths of our behaviours in personal and business life. Let’s face it, we all like to back a winner! From a commercial standpoint, when some businesses look to develop their marketing strategies you can’t help thinking that the gambling gremlin has landed. But it doesn’t have to be this way – you can back the right horse every time if you have the courage of your convictions. Let me explain what I mean.

Customer service has become the pinnacle of business benchmarking. The ‘Customer is King’ is indelibly etched into the fabric of many carefully scripted mission statements. We all want our consumers to be happy – sure – but the universality of approach to this task has made a rod for our backs. Let me explain why. Many B2B UK companies consciously treat customers in the same way. To me this makes little sense as customers represent different values to your business – both real and inherent – so why should we do this? Instead, why don’t we adopt a more balanced approach to this reality because the potential benefits are huge?

The human brain is a complex piece of engineering. We know that it has two major hemispheres controlling the body and these opposite sides communicate via the corpus callosum. This structure is sometimes surgically cut to alleviate major dysfunctional problems, leaving the patient in a parallel world. What is also fascinating is the right and left brain split – with the right side undertaking more creative and aesthetic functions – whilst the left tackles more logical and practical elements. Very interesting, I hear you say, but what’s this got to do with my business? Well, please indulge me and let me share my analogy and all will be revealed.

The business world stresses over not having enough customers. Well, in my opinion, it shouldn’t be overly preoccupied with this plight. Greater focus should be made in making the best of what you have first. Let me explain what I mean by this.