Friend for Life

My friend Sarah is a friend for life.

This week, I have been under the weather. On Wednesday she texted: “I’m pulling out of my driveway with a hot pot of chicken broth.” She showed up minutes later, poured her soup into my own saucepan, left it simmering on the stove, along with some vitamins, a magazine and a friendly smile.

This is just what I needed.  But in my flu ridden state, I did not have the energy to think about what I needed. But my friend Sarah knows me well and anticipated what might help.

Are your customers are going around in a flu-ridden state? Are they dazed and distracted by the business and busyness of life? If so, then they need you to be a friend and anticipate their needs.

Here’s how:
1. Be alert to their circumstances. Weather being a factor, offer what comforts. Care packages with tissues and throat drops in your service vans are not a bad idea this time of year.
2. Be alert to their stress. Days off school due to weather are fun once; but the stress multiplies with each successive day. Can you offer parents free meals for kids? Do you have coloring books and crayons that can be left behind?
3. Be alert to the noise competing for their attention. Every business in town is clamoring for your client’s attention. Not to mention every social media outlet they follow, along with traditional media too. How will your message be different? How will you express kindness, quirkiness or excellence in a way that grabs attention and keeps it?

All of these require you to be alert to your customers’ situations, to get in touch with their needs.

My friend Sarah knows me. She knows what I like, she knows my hopes and my responsibilities. And this week, she anticipated my needs.

Be a friend to your customers, and they’ll be yours for life.