Does anyone else want to make their customers feel like family... like they can come to you when they feel alone?

**KeliTheGuitarMomma** · 08-17-2008 10:07 AM

One of my primary goals in my business is to create a social environment within my community. We really want to make our customers feel like family... like they are not alone and can depend on us. Is this the right frame of mind to have? To see more about the business I plan to start... check out my blog. Should I treat them like a business usually treats customers, or should there be a more personalized type of relationship... where they feel like family and feel like they are cared for as more than just a "customer base"? I need to know what frame of mind I need to be in. Thanks y'all!

**Cody.Z.Chang** · 08-17-2008 09:20 PM

Dear KeliTheGuitarMomma,

I think what you may want to start out doing is evaluating the..."family-ness(?)" of other stores in the area.

Do those grocery stores, Wal-Mart(s), libraries, hardware stores, etc, pretty much know most of their customers on a first name basis? Are they frequent customers that chit-chat about they're cat, lawn, brother, sister, etc to the store owners and employees? Is your 3,000 people population pretty much a close-nit, everybody knows everybody community?
If the answers to those questions are all 'YES', then I'm sure you already know, personally, your target demographics. Whether it was your vision or not, your cafe will become 'family-like'. All you have to do from there is to extend yourself further until it meets your vision of 'customers feeling like family'

If the answers to those questions are 'NO', you may want to evaluate the reasons why. Too many people? Too fast paced life? No time during the day? angry people? etc.

Has this 'family-feeling' been created before by other stores? How do they do it? Does this contribute to their competitive advantage significantly?

Just some questions to consider...

**SalesGod** · 08-20-2008 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by KeliTheGuitarMomma

One of my primary goals in my business is to create a social environment within my community. We really want to make our customers feel like family... like they are not alone and can depend on us. Is this the right frame of mind to have? To see more about the business I plan to start... check out my blog. Should I treat them like a business usually treats customers, or should there be a more personalized type of relationship... where they feel like family and feel like they are cared for as more than just a "customer base"? I need to know what frame of mind I need to be in. Thanks y'all!

Read Dale Carnige's How to Win Friends and Influnece People, this will help build your foundation and give you some insight into how you can achieve your goals in business.

**ttfing** · 08-22-2008 09:33 PM

Just don't treat them like shit.

**UMD** · 09-21-2008 01:19 PM

i do feel like that also

**Essenobi_** · 09-27-2008 12:40 AM

culture is very important so if you do plan on making that part of the business culture then it's important that this is translated to EVERYONE in your company, otherwise you'll still be treating them just as customers and not family

**cybergift** · 09-27-2008 01:48 AM

Show respect to your customers by giving quality services and treat them equally.

You also need to be decisive in building your business.

**fragin_bastich** · 10-07-2008 09:01 PM

I was fortunate enough to work for the better part of a decade at a local (and by local, I mean neighborhood) auto repair facility as a mechanic. If there is ONE thing I learned working in that environment is how intimate business can be. Of course, I'm not saying the same approach applies to every business model, just that by making time for, and taking care of our customers not only were they willing to return, but also pay a higher rate than other places in order to feel secure in the services being offered.

I wouldn't say we did anything special to treat our customers like "family", we just took an extra minute to "take care of" our customers, and customers responded with loyalty, and checkbooks. Being in the auto repair business it was all about making customers feel safe, and secure that there $30,000 machine that they knew next to nothing about was being completely taken. I wouldn't say they were like family, but I did build several lifelong friendships with customers there.

Long story short, the lesson from that experience is that many, many people are willing to pay more for the same product/service if they feel secure that it's being done in THEIR best interest, and they will be taken care of.

**NTSMotivations** · 02-24-2009 12:46 AM

A business associate of mine told me that she would like to grow old with me and see our kids grow up together. That's the type of business relationship she would like to see. It was nothing sexual, it was purely stating that when you build a business relationship with someone, you're goal is to make it for life. Else why jump in? As you build your business relations, are you looking to turn and burn, or do you want to grow old with them?

**PseudoMod** · 03-08-2009 05:05 PM

I think the "People Before Profits" concept is very respectable. Except customer service is a mental skill not an emotional one. Here's what I mean:

My goal is to make people happy by ANY means necessary. If i have to manipulate my feelings in order to deal with this numbskull, I'll do it. If I have to be stern and enforce company policies, I will. If I have to give away free product, even if it means I'm losing my ass on the deal, I gotta do what I gotta do.

I'm not sure what type of business you're in, but you won't be in business long if you have no backbone. Emotions have no backbone and they make us do irrational things. Whether your ventures have a religious persuasion, keep caring but keep it professional.

**timscullin** · 03-30-2009 01:26 AM

You want to make them feel as close as possible, but the trick is maximising your return from it. If people feel closer they will be more likely to be loyal but it can cost you a lot of money and especially money. Theres a middle ground somewhere..

**GriZzly** · 03-30-2009 03:30 AM

I definately wouldn't go as far as hoping for a 'family' relationship, that's more of a staff relationship ethic. It's true that excellent customer service brings customers back time and time again, but don't take it too far, your customers also like a degree of separation.

You should always go out of your way to assist them but always assess why you are doing it. Think PROFIT. That doesn't mean swindling them, what it does mean is that you need to consider if the actions you take will directly or indirectly lead to sales of your product/service. Going above and beyond the call of duty for a customer whose sales with you cannot be developed further will cost you money that you won't see a return on. You will best serve customers by growing your sales, leading to greater purchasing parity, leading to more competitive pricing, leading to happy customers.

But keep in contact with them frequently! If you haven't seen them in a while, call them, say hello.

**Deus** · 04-01-2009 12:19 AM

Let me tell you a story of 2 stores. There are 2 main head shops (pipe shops) in my area, Undercover and The Smoke Shack. The Smoke Shack definitely has, by a fair margin, a greater selection of products and better prices. Undercover has a good selection and reasonable prices, but it can't compare to Smoke Shack. But I ALWAYS go to Undercover. Every time. Why?

When I walk into smoke shack, it's harsh lighting, and I don't even get a hello. They have signs saying if you screw up in there AT ALL you get banned for life. Everyone in there is absorbed in their own world and don't talk to you. At the same time, you feel like they are constantly sizing you up and view you as a customer, nothing more. It feels like a corporate store, like a Walmart.

When I walk into Undercover, it's nice lighting, and no pressure. There are only 2 people who work there and they alternate days. Both are super-friendly and really cool. It's an immediate "HEY! What's up?" Half the time I go there, I just talk with Shannon, the cashier, for like an hour and end up buying nothing. And they have no problem with that. If something costs like $5.50 and you only have $5, they'll accept it. I feel at home there, and THAT'S what brings me back every time. I'm willing to pay a few extra bucks for the environment.

**B.Moore** · 04-06-2009 11:15 AM

create a database filled with your customer preferences. when you have established a relationship with the customer and have figured out likes and dislikes you can look at your database and let them know when you have certain items in stock and so on. Of course you'll have to be good with people, basically friendly. Don't look to far into it or it'll get wierd. People pay for service and appreciate it. Its as simple as that