Content provided in partnership with

Business Services Industry

Listen and learn: wonder what customers really want? Just ask them

Entrepreneur, Nov, 2005 by Gwen Moran

Interview 100,000 customers, and you get an idea of what they want. That's what T. Scott Gross did before writing his book When Customers Talk ... Turn What They Tell You Into Sales. Here, he shares some of his insights.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE INDEPENDENT RETAILERS MAKE?

Retailers build businesses they like and assume the rest of the world will like them, too. It's surprising to find out that our tastes may be different than everyone else's.

SO WHAT EXACTLY DO CUSTOMERS WANT FROM INDEPENDENT RETAILERS?

Most Popular Articles in Business: Research and Markets : Tesco Plc - SWOT Framework Analysis; Do Us a Flavor - Ben & Jerry's Issues a Call for Euphoric New Flavors; eBay made easy: ready to start an eBay business? These 5 simple steps will ...; Katrina's lawsuit surge: a legal battle to force insurers to pay for flood ...; Wal-Mart's newest distribution center opened last month near the southwest ...; More »

Five main things: Starting with No. 5, fast service. Once they've decided to buy, they want the transaction to be over with quickly. Then, they want to deal with [retailers that] are easy to do business with--to walk in the store, find what they want to find and get out. They want a fair price and a good value--not cheap, but a reasonable price. And [they want] to feel like what they're spending is worth it.

AND THE TOP TWO?

Even more than price, they said they wanted caring help staff. [They want] a salesperson who puts the customer ahead of the sale, who might even have the courage to say, "I don't think this is the right one for you." And more than anything, they want help staff to be available, but not intrusive.

GWEN MORAN is co-author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Business Plans. Reach her at gwen@gwenmoran.com

Business Services Industry

Listen and learn: wonder what customers really want? Just ask them

Entrepreneur, Nov, 2005 by Gwen Moran

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Arts

Most Popular Articles in Business

Most Popular Publications in Business