Leaders should connect with customers
It seems like a no-brainer, but I still encounter many
leaders who are ‘jailed’ in conference rooms and hardly ever see a real
customer.
Yesterday I was playing golf and the director of the course
passed us by in a buggy. You could tell that it was even hard for him to say
hello. He made sure that there was enough distance so we could not talk.
However, this was an excellent opportunity for him to ask us
how we (the customers!) were doing and maybe even ask whether we had some
suggestions for improvement. It was not busy, so he could have easily done
this. The response from my golf-buddy was that this director clearly doesn’t
understand his business.
Instead of creating goodwill and receiving valuable feedback,
the director ‘escaped’ and left us with a rather negative impression.
A missed chance for learning, connecting and building a true
relationship with your customers.
Are you, as a leader, meeting directly with customers on a
weekly basis?
Enthusiasm drives Excellence!
