CREATIVE THINKING FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

Who knows your customer better than you?
You know what they want, when they need it, how much they want, and how soon before they re-order again. You even know how much they pay and how quickly they pay thus giving you an idea of their sales and the financial health of the company.
After all, they are your customers.
Is this information of any value to you?
Of course it helps you maintain your inventory, when to buy products, how soon before your accounts receivable will be healthy to help you continue to grow, how much is going out on accounts payable. If your customer is expanding do you need to think about expanding your operation as well?
As a supplier, you need to know all of this and more.
Another way to look at it is that since you know so much about this Customers Company that you are really a Consultant for your Customers Company.
Wait a minute! Is this what you’re saying?
I just took you from a Supplier to a Consultant?
Hey, and I only did it in a couple of sentences.
How can you become a Consultant for your Customer?
Think about it. You know this company, you depend on this company and in some cases you really can’t do without this company.
Sit down and identify the old Business School SWOT about your customer.
Now if you’re saying what is SWOT, then we need a little Business School recap.
SWOT stands for: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats.
Now depending on your relationship with your Customer, you might be able to sit down together and create your SWOT Analysis together. If not, do it yourself.
Bring in your people one day and sit down and develop a SWOT Analysis.
Now this would be across the board for you, it would consist of manufacturing, shipping, sales, marketing and even your accounting department. Bring them in and don’t give them any boundaries or limits. Let this be an open meeting and anyone can say anything they want. Remember, there is no stupid questions just stupid people who wouldn’t let the questions be asked. This is the future of your customer and what are their chances of surviving.
The most important question you have to ask yourself is, if this customer disappears one day, do you survive?
After your people have completed your SWOT Analysis, put it on paper, then sit down with your Customer and go over it. Show them how your company can be of assistance in growth or maybe in delivery. You might invest in a new computer system that will help your customers sales force order directly from you or in a new transportation system. Your customer might even offer to come in and help pay some of the investment that you are about to lay out because they can see how much it will help them in the long run.
What will be the end result?
Well if your customer is smart and they better be for your sake. They will see that you are interested in their growth, because if they grow, you will grow.
You have actually become a consultant or if you want to think of it in another way, a partner that is interested in their growth and success.