I know, this headline makes you scratch your head. This won't be the first time I go against the grain. Having observed corporate mentalities for a few decades, I have a challenge for you. Are you focused on measuring, tracking and improving your customers' satisfaction? Do you think that you are ahead of the game because you are in hot pursuit to "exceed customer expectations?" If so, I submit that you are probably wasting your time. I know it doesn't sound right, and there is some subtlety to my premise, but let me explain.

We have all heard that buyers and their processes have changed and will continue to do so. What are most sales representatives, sales management and senior executives doing about it? NOTHING! I know with that claim I paint a broad stroke. But I'm trying to make a point. Most companies are tracking customer satisfaction, but their focus is wrong. They don't know what they are really seeking and what to do about it. Let's consider a simple example. Pete, a health care rep from ABC Company, sells a CT to a hospital. Pete celebrates after closing the deal by taking his family out to dinner on his hefty commission, and turns the account over to his service team to ensure a smooth transition. Well, you know what they say about being able to "assume" that will happen.

Naturally, after installation, the hospital employees have trouble with the software and the table has serious mechanical issues. As a result, the radiology manager and medical director must report down time and the subsequent loss of revenue to the hospital's frustrated CEO. The CEO rants to anyone who will listen at ABC, who dispatches support and service. The damage, however, is done. Sending a 'janitor' in after the fact to sweep up puts the company behind the eight ball and suffering from an unfortunate loss of trust in the customers' eyes.

Do you see how the focus was all wrong here? What the company did was to pursue success solely for itself. That meant booking a sale. Yes, ABC was prepared to follow up to address problems, but the company's criteria for success did not line up with the client's criteria for success. How do you think the client felt about that company?

Now, what if we lived in a perfect sales world?  What would have happened? Number one, ABC learned from Pete's mistake and called for a huge Pow Wow. All the big guys flew in from headquarters and regions to discuss a major change in their corporate headset. They realized that customer satisfaction comes only when the client is successful, right? So they made it their mission to turn their corporate focus around completely. They decided to make their client's success their success. In other words, they would not succeed until their client succeeded.

UH OH!  You can imagine the push-back ABC faced. Everyone hates change. And this radical 180 degree shift in philosophy meant change from the top down! This meant everyone had to be on board, from the Directors, Senior Executives, Sales/Marketing, Manufacturing, Finance, and IT Executives and all Sales Representatives. And then there were the Shareholders!

But ABC was determined, and separated itself from the competitive masses with one very simple strategy: an unwavering dedication to their customer's success.

While accepting the difficulties and challenges short-term, ABC changed the way it selected, hired, trained, and paid its talent. It changed its sales teams' processes, marketing content, tools and skills. ABC consulted its legal department to alter its compensation agreements, customer agreements and terms of payment.

Now, fast forward to the present and ABC's renewed approach. You remember Pete? He is now working for a competitor who decided it was too radical and expensive to undertake this kind of change. Pete is doing fine, driving his Taurus and clocking out at 5:00p.m. for dinner at home. He still loves talking at lower levels with his customers about speeds, feeds, features, functions and benefit 'specmanship'. In his place, "Polly" has been hired by ABC's new team. She and her "client success team" call on a new account to examine its CT department. She is told, "No thank you, we are not in the market." She says, "Fine, I understand. After reading your annual report and examining the corporate goals set forth in your latest quarterly report, I just wanted to share some ideas to improve your profitability. ABC just helped a neighboring hospital reduce their cost per exam by 22%, and I believe we may be able to assist you too."

After months of research and consultation, Polly's hospital decides to replace their current CT. What does Polly ask?

"Ms. Executive, my team and I have been through quite a lengthy research process trying to figure out how best to help you, and I am sure we can. But I would appreciate if you would share further with me, Ms. Executive, exactly how would you define success for this project?"

Ms. Executive says, "Well, I need a product successfully installed, working properly, having trained and happy, radiologists, technologists, referring physicians and ultimately operational success and financial profitability."

Polly assures her client that she and her company share her client's vision of success, and goes about mapping that success with a necessary critical event timelines, training schedules, and tools for measuring profitability. ABC and the hospital enter into a mutual agreement which ties payments to the achievement of mutually agreed-upon performance milestones. By the way, Polly monitors the installation and implementation every step of the way. Guess what? Polly also does not receive her full commission until her customer and company have succeeded together.

I know what you're saying. This sales world does not exist. Maybe not, for you or your company right now. But the benefits to companies who begin the journey on this pathway are immense. And if your company does not subscribe 100% to this philosophy, you can still make and implement your own changes.

For example, if you manage a sales force, try to stress the relationship between your company's success and your client's success. If you are in the marketing department, start today to develop great content that will help the sales team shift the focus from the technical specs of the product to the success the client will enjoy. If you are a sales rep, start by gaining a thorough understanding of how your clients define success. One of your very first questions to ask any potential new customer is, "Exactly how would you define success for this project?" Do whatever you can to help your clients succeed. If you can implement even a minor shift toward a focus on your customer and his ultimate success, that is an achievement.

All the best,