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“The Golden Rule is still a great way to make money in business. Just treat people the way you would like to be treated. And that seems so basic and trite but it’s neither basic nor trite because it rarely happens.”
Chelsea Kneeland and Jay Baer begin this episode with an acknowledgment that people care more about their time than ever, and new research shows that speed is more important than price to 2/3 of customers. Therefore, it is crucial for businesses to build a culture of responsiveness, and Jay’s book includes a framework for doing so. Perhaps the easiest and most effective first step, he says, is to reply without answers, which means to always confirm a customer’s inquiry and let them know you will get back to them with the correct information. He notes the powerful psychological impact this act of acknowledgement has on customers feeling heard.
Chelsea and Jay also discuss generational implications of speed and responsiveness. In a surprise twist, Gen Z was revealed to have more patience than other generations when it comes to waiting to get what they need from a business. And the younger generations as a whole do not want to engage in phone conversations but are more apt to send several emails or even texts to get the information they need. Even as modes of communication shift, lack of information is never acceptable to customers and responsiveness remains paramount.
Finally, Chelsea and Jay wrap their conversation by highlighting the ever-important concept of treating people well. Jay notes that with more and more people working remotely and the influx of AI, chatbots, and apps, it can affect our proximity to real people and remove a feeling of empathy in our service. He emphasizes that while speed is important, rapidity can be the enemy of empathy, and we have to continue to understand our customers’ expectations in order to exceed them.