Your CUSTOMER is! Most entrepreneurs and businesses dive into a project or a business because they think they know exactly what the customer needs or wants. And... how do you think that has worked out for them? Exactly. Not that great. Imagine what you could create if you changed your mindset and looked at your customer as if they were your boss. What would you do?

1. Who’s thE rEal Boss?

2. Your customer is the boss.
Just think about it… who pays you? Your customer, right? So it
makes sense that your customer is the boss and not you?
Henry Ford once said - It is not the employer who pays the
wages, they only handle the money. It is the customer who pays
the wages.
Now who’s the boss?
Your customer is your paycheck. Without your customer -
there is no money to pay you!
What does that mean?
It means that your customer:
◊ Tells you what to do (and is fully entitled to do so)
◊ Collaborates with you on your work
◊ Lets you know when they are satisfied or dissatisfied
with your work
◊ Sets clear priorities for your work
◊ Always works on the tasks that are most important to
them.
Most entrepreneurs and businesses dive into a project or
a business because they think they know exactly what the
customer needs or wants. And… how do you think that has
worked out for them? Exactly. Not that great.
Imagine what you could create if you changed your mindset
and looked at your customer as if they were your boss. What
would you do?
You may go out of your way to impress them by making sure
your deadlines are met and keeping your promises. You may
be more appreciative of them and be thankful that they are
supporting your business. You may be more patient with them
and listen to them with your heart. You may go out of your
way to help them because without them, you would have no
money. And… if you wanted a pay increase, then what would
you do?
Ultimately, every entrepreneur and business is accountable for
meeting the needs of their customer and they are especially
careful to listen to their customer’s needs and wants. Only
then can they respond to their changing needs and adapt
accordingly in a quick manner.
Rarely can anyone or any business dictate to its customers
what they need. Your power with your customer comes from
your value you bring to her or him.
If you ALWAYS have your boss (your customer) at the forefront
of your thinking before you make any business changes,
you will turn your customer into a business partner – this
of course is hypothetically speaking. Essentially, it is all
about seeing your customer in a new light to strengthen your
relationship and achieve more accomplishments for both
parties.
You see, by shifting your mindset from what makes you happy
and what makes your life wonderful… to what makes your
boss happy and what makes your boss’ life wonderful, you
are actually working in collaboration to create a successful
business for yourself. Instead of thinking ‘how can I make
more money?’ or ‘how can I grow my business?’ you should be
focusing upon your customer, your real boss. If you spin this
around you will start to think outside of your default position

3. and into the minds of your boss (your customer) to truly create
something magical.
No business can succeed without a happy customer (boss).
So… how do we start?
First you have to understand your boss. Find out what their
true problems and goals are (not the ones you think they are)
and how you can help them.
If you don’t want to set yourself up for failure, some key points
I encourage you to invest your time in are:
Market research
Understanding your market helps you target your ideal
customer.
Most successful businesses develop strong strategies based
on market research on
◊ products
◊ services
◊ trends
◊ customer needs
◊ competitors
◊ industry/niche
You need to understand the challenges in your marketplace
to identify areas of your business that could be updated or
changed. Use this as a starting point for productive business
development.
survey
Sending out a questionnaire before you launch a product or
business is a great way to acknowledge whether this is a right
fit for your customer.
Test or pilot your idea first by seeking feedback from your
customer to improve your customer focus.
For example, some questions that you could use:
◊ What are your business/personal goals? Desires?
◊ What do you perceive as your greatest Strength?
Weakness?
◊ How is this new Product or Service evaluated?
◊ What are your motivations? Frustrations?
◊ What are your challenges? Fears?
◊ What level of service are you willing to pay for?
◊ What do you look for in a company to do business with?
◊ What do you perceive your needs to be? How important
are they?
◊ What do you look for in your relationship with a
supplier?
By asking your customer for feedback it shows them that
you really care. You’re not just doing business for financial
purposes; you truly want to make an effort to deliver 100% for
your customer. After all, you are now aware who the real boss
is, right?

4. Integrity goes a long way to building customer loyalty.
Customers are looking for a distinction, something new and
different, otherwise you just blend in with everybody else.
It takes a little bit of time, energy and a mindset shift to create
a successful outcome. Now, what will you be doing to meet the
genuine needs of your real boss?