Customer Care as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage

In today’s post I was to talk about how customer care, client care, can be source of a sustainable competitive advantage. And I am not only talking here about customer care or client care department that answers customers emails or speaks to customers on the phone. I am talking about customer care at the top of organization.

Zendesk defins customer care as follows: “Customer care is when companies treat their customers with respect and kindness and build an emotional connection with them. It’s something that can—and should—be handled by everyone on the team, not just a customer service representative or a customer success manager.”

Ripple effect of caring for customers, clients, readers and followers

Yesterday, I received a video from Sakti Mukherjee, who runs a consulting firm in India (https://www.proconscalex.com/). The video is about my bio on FIRMSconsulting.com/kris and overall FIRMSconsulting work. Here is what Sakti said in the video:

“Something interesting that I want to share. I printed the story of Kris Safarova from the FIRMSconsulting site. And I read through it, and there wasn’t a single page where I didn’t highlight so much because there was tons of learning, and at many points, it brought me to tears. And being 62 and a practicing consultant I still would like to take this as a piece of reading every now and then. And I just want to share this with whoever is going to see this video, and I am going to really suggest that one goes through the site. Reads, learns, and practices what this powerful woman has done and achieved. God bless.”

When I asked for a copy to share with you guys, Sakti took the time to record a more elaborate video, which I posted on the Firmsconsulting YouTube channel. You can watch it here.

Another message that stood out for me recently, which highlights customer care, client care, readers care, followers care, that comes from the top of organization, was from one of our amazing FIRMSconsulting Insiders (FC Insiders are members who unlock some of the powerful programs on our streaming platform, StrategyTraining.com). The email refers to a webinar I co-hosted with Ray Brehm for my online business owners’ community. Ryan is subscribed to both newsletters so he got an invite. If you want to be a part of the online business owners’ community, here is the link, including a gift. If you want to be a part of FIRMSconsulting community, here is the link, including a gift. Here is what Ryan wrote after the recent webinar. Some details are removed for privacy. Ryan is referring to a well-known company.

“Hi Kris,

I wanted to reach out and thank you and your team for putting this together.  Please do more of these!

I also wanted to tell you to thank you. Years ago when I reached out to you on LinkedIn to ask about your book, you made a change in my life. At that time I helped a company get global awards from xxx for selling xxx. I got to see all of my work given to others. In top of that I was bullied and took their words to heart.

But you became such a huge light to me. I watch your YouTube videos and shorts daily. I am starting to focus on digital experience regarding stakeholders’ psychology and the technology used by a company. It’s just getting started but I am starting to blog about digital experience at xxx and eventually use the traffic for affiliate programs to get going on my own.

In yesterday’s mentoring the micro courses were a huge insight for me. You can see here how I probably went overboard on a course that no one ever bought.

From yesterday, I have a much better perspective on what I can do to add value with micro-courses and technology.

I wanted to send you a genuine thank you for being an example that one can be successful and not use ego to diminish others. I can’t thank you enough for the respect you showed me as just a person. I can say you helped change my life for the better.

Thank you Kris and keep being a much-needed light to this world.

Best regards,
Ryan”

One might hope for “respect” from our clients and readers. But affection is rare.

I am very grateful for this affection. There is a lot of affection for me out there. But why?

Customer care as a sustainable competitive advantage

This is maybe helpful for you in your business, and in your work with clients. I believe the secret to this blessing is I have a genuine affection for my clients, followers, readers, and members. Clients come to know this. Readers, followers, and members sense it. Customer care, client care, can be a source of sustainable competitive advantage.

I interact with a lot of businesses, including in a client role. I spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on training so I am in a client role often. Most business owners do not feel this way about their clients, readers, followers, or members. In fact, many disdain their community or see them as second-rate citizens. Their community feels a different energy, a different dynamic. And I believe this genuine affection for my dear community is the primary reason why there are people out there who feel affection for me, FIRMSconsulting, and all the resources we produce.

As you can see it is not that hard to stand out in this competitive world. While everyone is competing on how many people they cold-message on LinkedIn with their canned sales pitches, and what is their LinkedIn or Facebook conversion rate for ads. Or in the corporate world, when everyone is competing on how many nonprofit organizations they are involved in and how many big potential clients they rub elbows with, you can be competing on something that is very rare: genuine affection and care for your clients.

Take care,
Kris Safarova

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