Tomorrow I WAS Your Customer
10 July 2025
The idea of "tomorrow I was your customer" is such an interesting—and troubling—concept. It describes that awkward, but avoidable situation, where a customer decides to walk away from your business before you even realise something is wrong. By the time you’re aware of their dissatisfaction, it’s too late—they’ve already made the decision to switch, and you’re left wondering what went wrong.
What Are The Causes?
1. Taking the Relationship for Granted:
All too often businesses assume "once a customer always a customer". That won't happen if you stop checking in regularly or fail to address their changing requirements. Over time, the customer feels like they’re just another transaction and not a valued partner.
2. Unresolved Pain Points:
Small frustrations like late deliveries, lack of follow-up, or poor service—can snowball into something that is just not fixable!
3. Lack of Proactive Communication:
If you’re only making contact when it’s time to renew a contract or make another sale, you’re missing critical opportunities to build trust and strengthen the relationship.
4. Complacency with the Competition:
Customers are always weighing their options, even if they seem loyal to you. If a competitor offers something better—be it price, service, or innovation—they might leave without hesitation, especially if they don’t feel strongly connected to you.
How to Stop It?
1. Know Your Customers’ Needs—Deeply:
Make contact regularly to keep "up to speed" on where they’re succeeding, where they’re struggling, and how you can help. Don’t just assume you know what they need; ask them.
2. Be Proactive, Not Reactive:
Don’t wait until renewal time or a complaint before making contact. Make it a practice to regularly reach out to share ideas, offer value, or simply check in. If you’re consistently present, they’ll feel like more than just a number.
3. Fix the Small Problems Quickly:
Pay attention to the little things. Customers rarely leave over one big issue—it’s usually a series of small annoyances. If you resolve those quickly, you’ll build trust and goodwill.
4. Create Strong Emotional Connections:
People do business with people they like, trust, and feel valued by. Invest time and caring in the relationship, and they’ll be loyal to you rather than just your product or service.
The core of this conundrum is often about neglect. It’s easy to get caught up in chasing new customers and forget to nurture the ones you already have.
But if you consistently show your existing customers that they matter—through service, communication, and value—they’re far less likely to wake up one day and think, Why am I still here?
Written by Mark Deavall
If you would like to talk to me, please call me on +2782 465 5481 or email me on markd@markdeavall.com
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