Aug09

Don’t Follow the Golden Rule

View Comments

It’s not only my thought, I’ve read it other places too. The Golden Rule — Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. — isn’t really a good rule for how things should work. Inside the Golden Rule is a hidden assumption that others want the same things that I do and that’s just not so, nor does it need to be.

In fact, what most folks want changes depending on the situation. So even Do unto me as I would want you to do. isn’t a hard and fast rule.

Customers have differing needs depending on the situation that they are in. Now that we have access to them and they to us in so many ways, no one needs to rely on a one-size-fits-all routine any longer. We can tailor our responses to their needs.

As Seth Godin’s new book says, “Small Is the New Big.” Niche markets that serve customers well is what we should strive for — not telco responses that make customers bend to big corporate rules.

Do unto customers as they would have you do.

It’s easier and less costly to treat a customer well than to find a new one any day.

As a customer, I would consider it no small thing, if a company I work with would do any small thing for me.

Liz Strauss

 

  • http://taorist.com taorist

    Doing things for other people because you expect them to do the same in return is selfish and self-serving in my book. What if they DON”T do what you expect? The mood then turns deadly and negative.

    You’re right.

    Let’s just do the best that we can for each other.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi taorist,
    Yeah,
    And let’s do what they want, not what we think they need. Frazier’s Dad doesn’t want a new chair as much as we want to give him one. :)

    Some folks don’t want a hug, even though we might need one in the same situation. Some folks would rather just hear the bad news without hearing what a good person they are first.

    Listening actively is the most important skills we’ve got.

blog comments powered by Disqus