This is the second article in the series dealing with Biblical Entrepreneurship. In this article, we will focus on one of the main components of being a Christian entrepreneur. The topic of today is service.
A business that is based on biblical principles must be grounded in service. Focusing on servicing your customers’ needs will set your organization apart from your competitors. To truly have a customer-focused business, your company must have a ministry philosophy. In order to get a clear understanding of ministry, you can model yourself after a great person, Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ ministry is the perfect standard of a customer-focused organization. He ministered to the needs of those around Him. Jesus declared in the Gospel according to Luke “for I did not come to call the righteous but the sinner to repentance” (Luke 9:14). From this statement we can draw valuable information that can help us enhance our customer service procedures.
The first order of business is determining whether there is a demand for the product or service you are offering. Jesus’ product was in high demand because people wanted the things He was offering. Jesus said he came to call the sinner to repentance. He knew the main need of sinners was to connect to God and the only way to do that was through repentance. Jesus had an unique marketing message (The Gospel of the Kingdom) with a customer centric product (Salvation).
The beginning of your customer service experience must begin with your customer’s needs. In the business discipline of marketing, the need of a customer is two fold. A consumer has actual and perceived needs. An actual need is water because our body must have water so it does not dehydrate. A perceived need is your desire to drink sparkling flavored water. The first is a necessity and the latter is a want. Entrepreneurs must keep this in mind as they are constructing their unique selling proposition.
The next step to having great customer service is accessibility. Ask yourself the question, “How accessible is my product to my potential customers?” Accessibility is a matter of availability. Your product must be easily accessible to compete in the marketplace. Jesus understood the concept of accessibility. He made sure his message and product was available. Jesus said that He came to earth for sinners. He placed Himself in an area where He could be easily found by sinners, in their midst. The product or service your organization is offering has to be made available in the distribution outlets where your potential customers purchase their goods.
The last component is reliability. Reliability focuses on a company’s ability to deliver on the promises you made about your product in the marketplace. The organization must be able to produce a quality product when it is purchased. Jesus knew that He was able to deliver on His promise of salvation to His customers. He understood that if people would repent for their sins that God would accept their repented heart and make them a part of His family. The credibility of your organization is based on its ability to deliver on the promises it makes to its potential customers.
Christian entrepreneurs must understand that focusing on their customers’ needs will catapult their organization to world-class status. This is done by ministering to a particular section within the marketplace and then making sure that products and services are easily accessible to potential customers. The last step is to market and distribute only quality products that the company can consistently deliver to consumers. If the desire is to establish a loyal customer, a company has to construct processes and procedures that produce products that will match customers’ needs.
About the Author:Stephen Owens is a man on a mission to impact and empower the lives of striving entrepreneurs and those within the role of leadership. Stephen’s primary goal is to help transform the lives of business leaders around the world and their organizations. Stephen understands the trials and tribulations of starting and operating an enterprise. He is compelled to aid individuals to be effective in the market place.
Stephen was the founder and president of Alpha Lending & Investments, LLC. This Cleveland, Ohio based company focused on securing financing for commercial real estates investors and business expansion. Stephen’s experience is working with entrepreneurs and organizational leaders, has helped him gain an understanding of the obstacles and frustrations that many of them encounter.
In 2006, Stephen released his first book, The Revolutionary Change: Unlock the secret to producing change in your life. This book was birthed out of his experience of transforming his life. He wrote this great work for those individuals that are ready to reposition their lives for outstanding growth and achievement.
Stephen is a sought after Speaker and Seminar Teacher as well. Some of the topics include: The seven laws of entrepreneurship; The effective organization; Unlock the change within you workshop; and The young entrepreneur. The material that Stephen shares fans the fire of the entrepreneurial spirit that is needed to grow an organization to world class status. Website: www.stephenowens.org
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