Is it a good idea to brush off a networker?

Customer service and networking are closely connected. A small job for one customer can be the beginning of many new jobs if that customer knows lots of people and recommends you. That is why I think it is bloody stupid to give a relationship like that poor service. I have just received a message from a supplier that makes me think about exactly that.

I am at the Growth 2.0 conference in Miami in January 2010 and have heard a presentation on networking. In a break between talks on guerrilla marketing and networking, I check my emails. The reply I find prompts this little rant.

A good supplier gets more than just my own job

I use various companies for programming, graphics and other work. I choose the ones I think are best for each job and the ones who treat me well.

But I also know I can give them extra value. If someone does good work for me and is a decent person, I recommend them. That is cheap marketing for them.

I know a shitload of people and regularly get asked whom I can recommend when someone needs a good programmer or help with something else. That makes me an interesting person for various companies to do good work for.

My point is not that you are obliged to give me a better price. But think about what slightly better service or treating a particular customer well can mean beyond the specific order.

Why I stopped recommending the company

A company had done several things for me, and I had recommended them to others. At the conference, I find myself wondering why it has actually been so long since I last did that.

The answer is that their level of service has fallen. When we once needed a fix, they had gone on a two-month summer holiday. They could not help. I immediately wondered what we would have done if the system had gone down.

I did think they were good at their work. So I tried to accept that perhaps the long trip was something they had dreamed of. But the experiences afterwards did not improve the relationship.

Days passed without a reply. I chased them, more days passed and I chased them again. Eventually, I got an explanation about illness and other trouble. Of course those things can happen, but overall I did not feel the relationship was valued.

Customer service and networking: A small job can matter

Now it concerns a small fix the company has previously done for me quickly. The reply is that it costs 2,000 kroner and they can do it in a fortnight.

My reaction is blunt. To me, the message basically feels like: Martin, fuck you. I am used to people making an effort to give me good service, and I also believe I am valuable to companies because I refer customers.

When I have a good experience, I am happy to talk about it. I also recommend companies I like in my podcast. So why ruin that relationship instead of taking care of it?

The consequence is that another company I work closely with on other projects gets lots of referrals from me. They are the ones I send business to.

Think about what you can do for others

The most important thing about networking is thinking about what you can do for other people. If you do not have time to serve all customers equally well, consider whom you prioritise and what the relationships can lead to. You can find my own experiences as an entrepreneur in Iværksætter til jeg dør.

I understand if you have a 300,000-kroner project that needs finishing. But there may also be a small job for a particular person that holds the seed of a great many future jobs.

So take a deep breath next time you brush off a customer. Perhaps that person could be the key to a large part of your company’s success.

That was my rant this time. I do not know whether it is useful to you, but at least I have got it off my chest and can return to the rest of the conference in a better mood.

Be careful whom you give poor service to…

Location:Convention Center Dr,Miami Beach,USA