Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The Customer's Tastebuds Are Always Right

When I tasted the Greenwich Pizza ‘Garden Delight’ in the Philippines, my tastebuds got a shock!

The pizza was covered with sweet tomato sauce and the cheese on top was cheddar.

I’ve been eating pizza all my life. Pizza is made with tangy tomato sauce and should be covered with mozzarella cheese, right? Sweet sauce and cheddar is no way to make a pizza.

Unless you want to sell a lot of pizza in the Philippines.

Greenwich Pizza doesn’t care what pizza is known for in Italy or New York or anywhere else for that matter. Greenwich wants to dominate the Philippine pizza market. As far as they’re concerned, when you are in the Philippines, Philippine tastebuds rule.

If the local market wants sweet, then sweet tomato sauce it is. If local customers prefer cheddar, spread on the cheddar cheese.

Global brands Pizza Hut, Shakeys and Dominos all sell pizza in the Philippines. But local Greenwich is the market leader.

Why? Because Pizza Hut, Shakeys and Dominos all make their pizza to global (not local) pizza standards. With plenty of tangy tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Key Learning Point
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Question: Who knows best what customers really want? Local businesses or global corporations?

Answer: Neither. The people who know best what customers really want are the customers themselves!

Action Steps
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Do you think you already know what's best for your customers? Or do you really listen to learn what your customers prefer?

Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed educator and motivator for partnerships and quality customer service. He is author of the bestselling "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". Visit www.UpYourService.com for more such Customer Service articles, subscribe to his Newsletter, or to buy his bestselling Books, Videos, Audio CDs on Customer Service from his secure Online Store. You can also watch Ron live or listen to him at www.RonKaufman.com.

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