Doing the right thing by your customer

If you search through stock photos for the term “business”, results will mostly show people in various states of professional attire, pointing at charts, spreadsheets and probably sharing a serious cup of coffee while examining some very serious documents.
It is hard to capture the deeper intricacies of business through stock photos, one of these being building and maintaining a relationship with your customers.
Keep the customer in mind
The mantra underscoring every key decision we make at Ward, whether it is adding a new service or increasing our team, is “do the right thing”. We keep the customer foremost in mind when it comes to decisions big and small, and this has been critical in maintaining our integrity and in driving our 98% customer retention rate. When it comes to solving a problem for our customers, we assess their needs, and do what’s right for them. This doesn’t mean new hardware or software if there’s no need for it. Every customer is different and we tailor our solution for the client.
Happier workers, better customer service
Ward Solutions is not alone in doing the right thing by our customers.
Last month in the US, a virus swept through offices throughout the country causing a high volume of sick leave. The US has no laws requiring paid sick leave. In a timely manner, as Americans were sneezing onto their desk-phones and keyboards, Microsoft announced plans to require its US contractors, with a minimum of 50 staff, to give employees a minimum of 15 days paid holiday and sick leave.
This is a great example of a company doing the right thing by its customer. Happier workers provide a better service and are more productive. Employees who have better benefits are more motivated to provide a great service for customers. By removing the pressure of losing pay due to being sick, Microsoft is increasing the likelihood of employee retention and in turn, increasing customer satisfaction who know they will have long term relationships with Microsoft contractors.
Owning up to security breaches
Another example of a company doing the right thing comes from social media management platform, Buffer. It suffered a security breach in October 2013 and, immediately, it owned up to the problem and told its customers. Instead of hoping nobody would notice, Buffer opened up lines of communication, explained what had happened and kept customers updated on the problem. Owning up to an issue and letting the customer know what is going on, even at the risk of losing clients, is a key trust creator.
Complete transparency
Chipotle, a fast-food chain that operates more than 1,450 restaurants across the world, has voluntarily began labelling ingredients in their menus, including GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms. It is the first fast food chain to do so, at the risk of losing customers. The company said being transparent with its ingredients engenders more trust with the consumer.
Ethical responsibility
Well-known clothing company TOMS has made the purchase of its products an easy ethical choice for its customers. For every sale of TOMS shoes, eyewear and bags, it gives away a matching product to someone in need. Globally, more than 2 million children in need have received TOMS shoes. Its One for One programme also funds maternal health care, medicine for children and health screenings in developing countries.
This dedication to giving back to the community means TOMS customers never have to think twice about the ethical background of the products they are buying. TOMS does the right thing by the customer, by the environment and by the community.
More than spreadsheets…
It is easy to associate business with boardrooms and briefcases, but the big picture encompasses the customer, environment and whole communities. If a company treats its employees well, gives back to the community and makes sustainable choices for the environment, the customer will always have peace of mind that they have made the right choice and that they are doing the right thing.