"You're not dealing with products as much here as you're dealing with people. It's a kick."
This was Welch talking about his time spent at General Electric (GE). It is an enlightening statement if we pause and think of what it is he's saying.
In a sense, the products or services we offer are a prop that a business is built around which offers opportunities to work with people.
When you think of it, what are products or services but responses to what it is people are telling us that will help them get what they want or solve a problem.
This doesn't mean that we neglect quality in our businesses, but we need to understand that it's the relationships that are built around what we offer that are what really determines the success we enjoy, not the products themselves.
While we hear about complaints in relationship to things we offer, what is it that really gets the attention of people? How we handle those complaints. In other words, how we treat people in the process. Treat someone right and you can win customers for life, treat them wrong and you'll get furious backlash against you.
This is why it's so important to simplify handling problems and concerns. Make it hard and people will resent you. Make it easy and they will love the business for it.
That's what Welch is saying as far as customers and working with his people. It's not primarily products or services but building strong relationships with people. The rest will come if we do the people thing right.
Other Jack Welch Resources:
Jack Welch's advice to MIT Sloan students
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Tracked on: May 19, 2007 8:21 PM | Permalink to Trackback