Client and Customer Connection

"It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages."

- Henry Ford, American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company & sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. (1863 - 1947)

While there have been many ideas regarding how to treat each other, especially when it comes to customers and clients, it seems there are far more theories than true application! Whether it is the "Golden Rule", or the rule of "The Customer is always right", please consider embracing the approach of connection in addition to satisfaction.

What I mean by that is:

-Clients and customers have many options

-Clients and customers minimally want to be satisfied

-Clients and customers like great service

-Clients and customers really appreciate a connection (and I don't just mean free Wi-fi!)

So, if you are striving to make a difference, be relevant, especially customers and clients, please consider:

-Telling & showing clients and customers you appreciate them sincerely

-Asking clients and customers what they expect (instead of assuming)

-Offering clients and customers ways and times to connect

-Honoring what was discussed

In our world of speed and social media, looking someone in the eye, asking them a couple of things to enhance their experience, providing what they want, and then thanking them for their time and business, can not only go a long way that day, it can connect you to them in a way a post, blog, survey or coupon may never be able to do on its own...and yet it may create a connection to you and your business that opens them up to those additional things as well. With connection, true connection, instead of chasing the next deal, you are consistently engaging in a way that is lasting and real!

3 Motivators to Consider

“Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.” - Mark Twain, American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer. 1835-1910

In the realm of people seeking employment, businesses wanting more clients and customers, it is important to think about and process/respond to each individual's motivation for what they are doing (or not doing).

Be careful...we tend to think people are motivated similarly to how we are and feel we can "speak their language" as a result...and that is just not always the case, sometimes, it's not even often the case!

People are typically motivated by:

Money (Financial)
Recognition/Advancement (Position)
Time (Freedom)

Consider what drives you, and then incorporate learning, and really caring, about what drives those around you, and those you want on your team as a player or a client/customer. Once you know that, you can assist each person in achieving each of his/her accomplishments by partnering with him/her to get to their financial, position, or freedom goals. Plus, while you are chatting about motivation/drive, a whole lot of other topics might just get covered as well!

Practice First

“Practice is the best of all instructors.”

~ Publilius Syrus, Roman author, 1st century B.C.

Practice First

While it may be exciting to get something new out in the field, to patients or to your customers, remember, the patients, customers and clients were once someone else’s...or could be someone else's at some point, so the practice needs to come sooner rather than later, and internally instead of externally.



To minimize issues, embrace the ideas of "practice on your person or your pals and not your patients, clients or customers". This means role-play, situational probing, experiential learning through sharing, and consideration of what may arise when in front of patients, clients or customers. Brainstorm, green-light think through the process, product or approach from many angles.



Sure, you will not be able to cover absolutely everything in your practice efforts, but out of respect for your patients, clients and customers, just remember to value them and practice prior to meeting with them in order to perform, deliver and provide the best service, product, message possible for/to them.


Once you finish your initial practicing, still seek input for future improvements and the next generation/update, and then it's back to the drawing board, or rather practice field, for you and your team in an effort to keep those clients, customers and patients from being someone else's again, for as the quotation reads, our practice really is the best of instructors!