6 things that drive away customers and suppliers

Businesses are started with an aim of serving people who in turn pay for the goods and services to give the business owner profits.

Without good internal and external business environments, a business cannot succeed.

Suppliers, investors and consumers are some of the key cogs in any business wheels. So what are some of the turn offs that turn them away from your business?

1.  Inconsistent quality

Customers will stick to a brand mainly due to its price and quality. And where the prices are almost even, almost everyone goes for what they feel is the higher quality.

A good business person knows that the sale of their products is hinged on the quality they offer and how consistent they can be while at it. A compromise on quality could see a business quickly hit rock bottom as customers seek the highest value for their money in terms of quality.

Also, what separates your business from the competition? Focus on that and highlight it.

2.  Tarnishing competitors’ names

This is down to poor competition methodologies. A misplaced belief that success of a business is dependent on tarnishing the name of competitors and thus ruining their fortunes.

If this happens, then the customers are wont to take it as a smear campaign and are likely to lose trust in the product which thrives on spoiling the reputation of rivals.

When a business is advertising, they can refer to themselves as the best but not mention names of those they consider weaker, or even the specific weaknesses of their individual competitors alongside their names.

3. Failure to observe timelines on product delivery

This is common among service providers and is damaging to a business’ reputation. For example, In Kenya, this complacency is often associated with tailors.

Many of them have been seen to promise to have an article of clothing repaired or sewn by a certain date only to abandon the task once the owner is out of sight.

If one is unable to honour his or her timelines, there is a likelihood that customers will lose trust in the business and look for alternatives.

4. Poor customer service

It is always advisable that business people hire professionals to work in their businesses. An unprofessional task may end up ruining the reputation of a business. Further, customers want to be listened to, treated respectfully and taken as a crucial element of a business.

If workers are untidy, for example, or insult the customers, the customers will reciprocate by opting to buy, and lobbying for, competitors’ goods and services.

If the employees are always on the phone or in office chatter and thus accord little attention to the customers, it is likely that the customers will escape.

“Attitude determines your altitude, if you have a bad attitude, even if you are way up there, you will come crashing down, and if you are still trying to take off, a bad attitude, will keep you on the ground, revving your engines but going nowhere,” says Dr Strive Masiyiwa, technology billionaire and philanthropist.

5. Being hard to contact

Customers, as well as suppliers and investors, want to feel that their voices can be readily heard and their concerns taken into account whenever.

As such, they will be happy shopping from a business where they know that the boss, or top employees, will be ready to listen to them and take into consideration their complaints, or appreciate their positive feedback.

A business owner who is inaccessible to the customers is a big discouragement to every person who wants to transact with the business and there is every chance that such customers will go out to search where they are listened to.

5. Unsafe premises

If you entered a banking hall and realised that the wall had a huge crack running from the roof down to the floor, there is chance you will not come back. If you heard a person was mugged right at the doorstep of your favourite shopping mall, I would not bet against you changing allegiances to a mall that is safer.

Every shopper wants to feel safe and comfortable, and to know that the owner of the business has done everything in their power to protect them (the customers) from possible danger.

Currently, the big issue is the pandemic. Do you think your customers feel safe visiting your premises?

6. Reluctance to adapt to market changes

A business that is not flexible enough to changes will surely lose appeal. With changing times and trends, one must be ready to adopt the newest trends that favour the customers.

Imagine walking into a shop that is adamant on selling phones made in the 1990s that lack internet connection among other basic applications such as phone camera, with the business owner convinced that because the phones sold well 20 years ago, they are still the right products to put on display?

Customers will chuckle and leave for what attracts them and carries a modern appeal. For a fact, people choose what is trendy and fashionable.