How do you make your customers feel?
There are a lot of tools, apps and services. If you’ve been following Product Hunt, you already know that startups and new apps are being launched every single day.
A startup these days is so common that even high-school kids are doing it. There are endless rivers of guides, books and knowhow on how to do it, and since most startups have some sort of product or service, there might be an app for pretty much anything you might think of. And if there isn’t, well, it’s a great moment to build it yourself.
However…
The general theory about building a tool is that it should service a specific need. This can be either a pain, or just the need for entertainment (ergo, games). I won’t dive into the gaming industry since I rarely play games (usually around Christmas, when it’s too cold do to anything outdoors).
But regarding a tool, there are plenty. And whatever you’re doing, you might be surprised that there are potentially multiple tools out there which can make your work easier.
The end goal
I had a nice chat with an old friend recently, and he made a point that sticked with me.
He said… “It’s not enough to provide a tool to a customer. You have to do as much as possible in solving his pain.”
That really made sense. For example, if the user wants his furniture assembled, it’s not enough to provide him with a screwdriver. The greatest thing you could do for him is help him assemble his furniture.
Nobody said “Hey, I have a friend who has screwdrivers, I can call him if you need one”, but people remember when you help them:
“I have a friend who helped my assemble by living room furniture, let me see if he’s available to help you out.” or even “Let me help you assemble your furniture.”
And all this happens because…
People forget what you said, what you did, but they never forget how you made them feel.
Even after years passed by, I still remember people that made me feel in certain way. I also remember people that made me feel miserable. So it can go both ways.
Be memorable…
It’s the little things that count, but we already knew that. We just got on about our life and while trying to go ahead of the game, we might have lost our way.
Just like a thousand years ago, when some neighbour in a village needed someone to help him fix his roof after a storm, he had nowhere to go but to his neighbour to help him out. And they did, because helping out your neighbour when he’s in pain was the only way to make a living.
As centuries passed and technology emerged, we now have plenty of “neighbours” and a lot of tools, but nothing beats good ol’ “help out a friend” or even “help out a stranger”.
Stay humble!