It's the Customer, Stupid!: 34 Wake-up Calls to Help You Stay Client-Focused

Chapter 25. The Old Way Is Rarely the Best Way Because Change Is Constant

The customer will let you know.

Throw Out the Old Way!

If you have "always" done it the old way, then there's a very good chance that the old way simply isn't working anymore. That is a fact with which many organizations are coming to grips today. It begs the question: Why does it take so long for us to recognize the obvious?

Did you know that the 10 most in-demand jobs this year weren't even around five years ago? We're preparing kids for jobs that don't yet exist, using technology that is yet to be invented to solve problems we do not even have. Good customer service means knowing where you want to be after those cards have been dealt.

When customers are unhappy, it is because we did not solve their problems—pure and simple. Our number-one job—whether it is delivering the right pizza on time or delivering a speech to an audience of 1,000—is to solve the consumer's problem or meet a particular need.

It Applies to Every Aspect of Life Today

Even educational institutions are facing similar customer service issues today. With so many people unemployed or underemployed, many are returning to the classroom to reload and gather new skill sets that will allow them to be more marketable in an ever-competitive world.

The net result is that it is putting enormous pressure on colleges and universities everywhere, but most especially in the junior college ranks where enrollment has skyrocketed to 125 percent or more in most ...