Don’t Make a Mythstake: Ten Business Myths You Can’t Believe

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Don’t Make a Mythstake: Ten Business Myths You Can’t Believe — Photo by Shepard Presentations, LLC.

Some very popular business sayings are potentially detrimental to your organization. I recently wrote an article in my weekly Forbes.com column titled The Five Business Myths You Can’t Believe. It met with plenty of positive feedback, so I’m going to share those five myths with you, plus five more. I’ve written full articles about some of these topics in the past. I now share this compilation of 10 popular business myths. Don’t make the mythstake of believing them!

A Repeat Customer Is a Loyal Customer
No, they are just a repeat customer. You must understand why they keep coming back. Maybe your location is more convenient. Maybe you have a lower price. As soon as a competitor has a better location or a lower price, don’t be surprised to see the “loyal” customer disappear.
We Want Satisfied Customers
Our annual customer service research found that one in four (23%) don’t return to a business that just satisfies them. Satisfactory is average. We need to be better than that.
Only the Front Line Needs Customer Service Training
Everybody in an organization is responsible for their role in customer service. If they aren’t dealing directly with customers, they are supporting someone who is, or they are part of the process that impacts the overall service and experience.
Customer Loyalty Programs Create Loyal Customers
Loyalty programs are usually about points, perks and discounts. In reality, they are marketing programs that do a great job of bringing customers back. We love repeat customers, but don’t get caught believing your repeat customers are truly loyal.
All Customers Should Be Treated the Same
All customers must be treated with similar levels of respect. However, today’s customers want a personalized experience. That means an individualized experience.
Technology Can Replace Human Interaction
Companies have tried, and it doesn’t work. Even Amazon has live customer support. I stand by something I said years ago: The greatest technology in the world can’t replace the ultimate relationship-building tool between a customer and a business: the human touch.
A Quality Product Will Ensure Success
It helps, but it’s not a guarantee. Studies have proven that even if you have the best product but treat the customer poorly, they will find another place to buy what you sell, even if the product is not quite as good. And the opposite is true. The best service won’t get your customers to come back if the product doesn’t do what it is supposed to do. It takes the combination of a quality product and quality service.
Customer Training Is a One-Time Event
Many companies include a customer service training module in their onboarding. That’s a great start, but it needs to be sustainable. I like to say, Customer service training isn’t something you did. It’s something you do. Ongoing training and/or reminders are the key to a successful customer-focused culture.
Customer Service Is What Happens When Customer Experience Fails
Customer service is not a department. It’s a philosophy to be embraced by everyone in the company. However, customer support is a department. Don’t confuse the two. One is about your culture. The other is about handling complaints and helping customers with their problems or questions.
The Customer Is Always Right
We’ll end with my favorite. No, the customer is NOT always right, but they are always the customer. So, if they are wrong, let them be wrong with dignity and respect!