October 22: Transform Instead of Transacting

A common approach to business is to think of interactions with customers as being this for that, quid pro quo, I scratch your back you scratch mine. This may get you some short term sales, but it goes nowhere in developing a relationship with your customers.

To thrive your interactions with customers must be transformational. Sure you may be providing a product, but how can that product affect other areas of their life? How can you provide that extra bit of service that makes the product better? How can you allow your company to be transformed through the interaction?

I bet I got you on that last question. For interactions to be transformational you have to allow yourself to be changed too. Each interaction is an opportunity to learn from your customers and do better next time.

Transactional means no one changes, transformational means both parties change.

How do you allow customers to interact with you? Are your relationships transactional or transformational? What tools could you use to become more transformational?