I absolutely love the message of this article by Jack and Suzy Welch. It’s not that there is anything revolutionary about the message. In fact, it’s quite the opposite:
In whatever role you play, be it in your personal life, professional life or any role in between, the most important factor in achieving success is to be you. Not the pretend you, but the real you. Authentic. Genuine. True.
Of course, this rule doesn’t apply to disingenuous people. It’s not that disingenuous people cannot be successful. It’s just that eventually people figure out who they really are. Once your lose credibility, there’s not much you can do to earn it back.
People do business with people they like and trust. Are you likeable? Are you trustworthy? More importantly, are you real?
Today’s marketplace requires authenticity as well as exceptional skills. Customers are not just looking for companies who know what they are talking about; they are looking for businesses they can trust.
This is why customer relationship management (CRM) is so important to your business strategy. Companies who focus on developing positive relationships with their customers are more likely to be seen as trustworthy and more likely to keep their customers around for years.
Are your customers sticking around? If not, consider making the CRM investment. CRM software will not only help you improve upon your current relationships, it will help you develop new relationships based on a level of trust and authenticity.