There are a variety of types of clients. You begin by belonging to the group of "target audience", then becoming a potential customer ", then to the group of" eventual comparator "and until becoming a" regular customer "or" user ". They are further classified into internal and external customers.
Types of customers (01)
If we look at the customer from a commercial point of view, the person (customer) can be classified into different categories. It begins by belonging to the group of «target audience» of the company / institution; then becoming a "potential customer", then the group of "prospective comparer" and even becoming a "regular customer" or "user".
The customer classified as "target audience" is one who is not particularly interested in the service or product that the company offers.
The client classified as a "potential client" is interested, but has not yet decided to buy or go to the service of the company / institution.
The "eventual buyer" customer is one who has already decided and the "regular customer" or "user" is one who is willing to face the consequences of buying the product or going to the service.
Internal and external clients. External customers, those who buy a product or use a service, are usually quite easily identified. Instead, recognizing internal customers is a more difficult task. Internal customers are employees who are continually interacting with another employee within the same company and even with the external customer.
In most companies, the opinion of the internal customer and their workers is not taken into account, and for this system to be implemented effectively, all employees must be taken into account and seen as a very important aspect at the time to carry out this type of management.
But internal customers are not just workers. We must not forget another of the most important aspects in the production cycle, such as suppliers. Before detecting product problems, it is best to minimize the likelihood of these occurring. For this, it is necessary to control the suppliers. Many of the problems that appear in the production process come from the suppliers. Controlling them will act in a pro-active way, anticipating the problem before it appears. This
can be a great savings.
Every company / institution must identify who the company's customers are, both internal and external.
For the analysis of the satisfaction levels of internal customers, the following indicators can be used:
- Job content: referring to the attractiveness of the job content, the level of feedback on the results that it enables, the social meaning conferred, the level of autonomy that the position allows. Group work: relative to the degree to which the work allowed group work to be carried out, fostering participation and satisfaction of the affiliation needs of this type of clients. Stimulation: concerning the degree to which the existing remuneration system satisfies the needs of sufficiency, justice, equity and is linked to the results of the work and the efforts developed. Working conditions: referring to the degree to which the prevailing conditions in the work area are safe, hygienic, comfortable and aesthetic. Welfare Conditions: related to the group of conditions that the entity establishes with a view to facilitating a better working environment such as transportation, food, work hours, etc.
In the study of the satisfaction levels of external customers, the use of three types or groups of attributes can be used:
- Linked to the Person: such as bearing and appearance, treatment, language proficiency, diligence, responsibility, etc. Linked to the Product: such as temperature, presence, variety, quantity, price, size, etc. Linked to the Local: such as hygiene, order, technical state, comfort, temperature, aesthetic appeal, etc.
These three types of attributes are considered the fundamental ones that determine the level of customer satisfaction.
Unequal customers, how to treat them. Not all clients are the same and not all deserve the same treatment. There are at least three variables that must be taken into account when differentiating clients:
- The first is how good business are the customers? In the future it will be common to draw up an Income Statement Per Client - some companies already do - to find out what it costs individually to acquire, operate and retain a client, against the income it represents or potentially can represent. Something like a VPNC, Net Present Value per Client. The second deals with the identification of specific characteristics of each client, for example, type of client, volume of purchase, items purchased, type of payment, psychographic and behavioral profiles, etc. And make homogeneous groups to group them, analyze them and make special offers.The third is about the resources that are required to better serve homogeneous groups, or individual clients. And it's not just about money, for example: individual customers,small, medium, large, corporate, state and federal governments. Each group has differences in expectations, needs and profiles. The same resources are not required to sell to a fifty-year-old woman who buys her first computer via the Internet or telephone, as to a user who uses her computer 24 hours a day to work.
There are at least four ways in which the annual profit of a client increases when it is recurring:
- Increase in revenue that occurs naturally, because the customer becomes familiar with the brand and lowers his "defenses" when making a buyback. Cost savings because it becomes cheaper to operate with a customer that is already known, backsliding is avoided and Acquisition expenses decrease Referral income when current customers recommend the brand to others Premium price A loyal consumer may pay more for a product or service when changing brands represents a greater cost (emotional, time or effort)
It should be clarified: not by treating different clients differently, it is suggested to treat badly those who least leave the company. It's about allocating resources differently and investing in the customers who are really supporting the business.
Types of customers (02)
Wrong, misinformed or misguided: This is a customer who purchases a product or service with which we know in advance that he will not be satisfied and we are able to anticipate an incident or, what is worse, a dissatisfaction of which never we will have news.
How to treat them: Give detailed information to customers who give this profile, to make sure they know exactly what they buy. We must anticipate your dissatisfaction, with insistent questions so that you can confirm or reaffirm that everything is correct.
Bad payers: These are defaulting clients, who promise to pay but never do.
How to treat them: Clarify in detail the forms of payment in contracts, protocols and detailed rules of action.
Abusive clients: They give a similar profile to others who abuse, steal, present false or fabricated claims, etc.
We can know them through data and knowledge based on the experience of sellers and contact persons.
How to treat them: Pay special attention to their actions, which can be expensive and lead to the following situation (clients with excessive care costs)
With excessive service costs: These are customers who, in their daily dealings, generate more cost of care and service than profitability.
How to treat them: Dissuasive (outrageous) pricing; predefined service, making them pay service supplements from which they generate losses.
Addicted to promotion and offers: There are customers who only buy the product that is on sale, we try to capture it through offers, but after this one, they go with it or remain inactive until the next one.
How to treat them: Try offers that make it profitable, knowing that they buy BBB, that is, good-pretty-cheap. Stop making them offers.
Risk: "Health insurance companies do not accept very old clients because they cost more than they contribute."
How to treat them: Outrageous price. Barriers such as exams and controls to be part of the company's clientele.
Bad image: They present an image at odds with the company's positioning, to other clients.
How to treat them: Outlandish prices.
"Incidental" or controversial: People who show up loud about their dislikes in front of other customers within the company.
How to treat them: Sometimes, clients who like to have conflicts in front of others or to show their disagreement, should be exonerated not to return.
Who want to copy us? A: There are clients who really want to copy the product or the process of providing the service to pose a direct or indirect competition to our company.
How to treat them: If we have the slightest suspicion, reject the sale with exaggerated prices, avoiding as much as possible to provide information.
Bibliography:
- Customer satisfaction an indicator of productivity. 1997, Holguín, Cuba. Article: »Management and quality through HR» - Miguel Ángel Fernández Jiménez. Psychologist and Human Resources Expert Article: «Unwanted clients» - Juan Carlos Alcalde.
