We are flying to South Africa this week!

I am really looking forward to catching up with some good friends from my schooldays during our school’s 25 year reunion that is being held at the Allemanskraal Dam in the Free State. My wife Chrisna’s 25 year school reunion is also being held this year in Bloemfontein.

I was just once again reminded last week how important client and customer feedback is, but even more importantly, how you react to the information and what you do with it.

One of the bigger “towns” close to us is a place called Hemel Hempstead, which frequently attracts production teams and actors from Hollywood as well as the BBC, specifically the Hemel Hempstead Old Town which I love so much.

There is a new coffee shop in the Old Town where I previously staged a walkout after 5 minutes because the two owners by no means acknowledged the presence of their customers. In other words, customers are standing in the queue, uncertain whether the owners are aware of their presence. (How am I now reminded of those loud bells ringing in certain older shops to announce your presence … for the owner and the town!)

I then decided to give the owners a second chance.

So there I was standing second in our queue of two people. Unfortunately the exact same thing happened! Instead of staging a walkout, I decide to rather be part of the solution and ask the two owners if I may give them some positive criticism…

Apparently they were ready for my criticism, but in reality the man was not really ready or in the mood for any criticism. I could gather from the guy’s reaction (his wife asked more questions) that he was feeling insulted. Seeing as I neither listen to nor understand “mumble language”, I told him in a nice manner that it is his choice whether to use the information or not.

His answer: “Thank you, I choose not to use the information. I have been working in the customer relations industry for 30 years.”

So what is my point?

Ten years ago an unsatisfied customer/client told an average of ten other people about a nasty experience with a service or product. Today, with the power of social media, it easily reaches a hundred people.

You can decide for yourself whether to use the information or not.

As you should know by now (or not), I launched my first series of digital products. The eBook is a business resource of 62 pages and includes 104 sales strategies and business errors of Afrikaner business gurus, as well as a brand-new KLIPKOUERS digi-magazine. Click here for more information.  

Also read: WEEKEND REFECTION: Love is not completely blind