The Groupon founder and CEO was fired on Thursday.
Hey, that stuff happens. Maybe not as much as it should, but it happens.
That’s not what interests me today about this news and encourages me to pull the customer tip I had lined up to send you in favor of this one.
Did you see the email he sent to his company on his way out the door?
The last part of his email jams a finger right at what we’ve been saying, sharing, coaching, training and mentoring since we opened our doors. As one of you said to me, that sentence “really emphasizes your point,” the point we make with you in everything we do with you, in everything we work with you to create.
Here’s what the now-former CEO wrote that slapped me (in a good way) and punched others who work with us:
“If there’s one piece of wisdom that this simple pilgrim would like to impart upon you: have the courage to start with the customer [emphasis is mine]. My biggest regrets are the moments that I let a lack of data override my intuition on what’s best for our customers. This leadership change gives you some breathing room to break bad habits and deliver sustainable customer happiness — don’t waste the opportunity!”
It starts with the customer. I couldn’t have said it better. Wait! That’s exactly what we say, do and show you how to do.
Your business isn’t about your products. It isn’t even about you. Your customers don’t care about you, your products or your business. They care about themselves. They only get involved with you because you can deliver something that makes their life better or takes away a headache.
The next time someone asks you what you do answer with the value you bring, the outcome of working with you. And if you don’t know the answer to that—or think the answer is your fab product—it’s time we correct that.
So very few companies talk about the value of working with them—the outcome—that when you do, you’ll be speaking to your customer like very, very, very, very, very few others in your field.
Don’t believe me? Look around. Visit some websites of other people who do what you do. What do they say on their home page? I will bet you a bundle they talk about themselves or their products.
Can you tell this gets me riled up?
Be centered on your customer…or not. Your call. Accelerate your business…or not. Your call. Change the lives of the people you want to work with…or not. Your call.
As the CEO says, don’t waste the opportunity to deliver sustainable customer happiness. That’s what matters.
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams
P.S. Just last week we wrote about value—the outcome of working with you. Here it is again if you missed it.
P.P.S. I don’t usually say this in my marketing tip, but you know we can find your value for you. All you have to do is ask or call (530-878-1491).