Identify the Customer

Lecturer Broadcast

Click here to view an explanation about identifying the customer.

Klik hier om na ‘n verduideliking van die identifisering van die kliënt te luister.

Explanation by lecturer Johan Kleingeld from Edge Consulting, an expert on customer service.

A customer is anyone who walks into a shop or phones in. By making contact, a person has made a decision that indicates interest or need. The challenge is to turn the customer into a buyer by identifying and meeting this interest or need.

Many customers know exactly what they want. Others may have a general idea. Some have nothing specific in mind, only the hope of finding something that will satisfy their desire to buy. The ultimate goal is the same for all these cases, which is to satisfy the customer.

In every business, two types of customers are served: External customers and internal customers.

Internal customers are those individuals or groups that depend on fellow employees to provide them with those products or services they need to enable them to serve external customers. In every business there is an internal value chain of suppliers and customers. Each department is either supplier or recipient (customer) of an internal service. The significance of the internal supplier/customer relationship is that the same principles that apply to external customers also apply to internal customers. In the Learning Unit on Operational Planning you have studied the internal customer relationship.

External customers are those individuals or groups that acquire products or services they need from our business by making a financial sacrifice.

Definition: A customer is anyone who walks into a shop or phones in. By making contact, a person has made a decision that indicates interest or need. The challenge is to turn the customer into a buyer by identifying and meeting this interest or need.

Many customers know exactly what they want. Others may have a general idea. Some have nothing specific in mind, only the hope of finding something that will satisfy their desire to buy. The ultimate goal is the same for all these cases, which is to satisfy the customer.

However, there are different ways and means of satisfying these different types. So, a basic sales skill is to be able to “size up” the customers.

Buyers

Those who know what they want to buy are purposeful in their movements and confident in their tone. If they have a specific product in mind, they will usually be well informed about it. On the other hand, they may know little about the product or its price, but definitely have the need. Friends or other stores refer some buyers. Others get their information from previous browsing trips, the newspaper, or the telephone book. Buyers usually want to purchase a product soon. You may observe such decisive customers walking directly towards the item they want. They tend to welcome assistance in locating the product they want to purchase. When you identify such a customer, offer immediate and friendly service. You need to give accurate information rather than delivering a “hard sell” since further convincing is not needed. Instead, let the customer do the talking and you do the listening.

Searchers

Those who are undecided about what to buy will often look around at different items with interest. They may have a general idea of what they would like, but no specifics. For example, a searcher may need a gift for a baby shower but has nothing definite in mind. Or a customer may be looking for a VCR without knowing the brand, model, or price. Such customers welcome suggestions. Ask searching questions to determine what the customer likes and needs. Then use your imagination. The customer searching for a baby gift may not know what types of gifts are appropriate; you might suggest clothes, accessories, jewellery or toys. Such features as ease-of-use or low price may attract the customer looking for a VCR. Help the customer come to a decision by “tuning in” to help the customer narrow their focus.

Browsers

Those who have no particular need in mind are “just looking". They come to the store for entertainment. Shopping is fun for browsers. Some may have little product knowledge but are working on developing their awareness of both products and prices. Others may have a lot of product knowledge but still enjoy browsing. Welcome browsers and make yourself available to answer any questions they might have. Do not try to pressure them into telling you what they are looking for. Generally, browsers like to be left alone. But you should still greet them and try to engage them in conversation. Although they may not buy anything, they may return at another time to purchase something if you make a good impression.

Click here to watch a video about consumer behaviour and the consumer decision making process.