Last night I wrote, in the context of customers:

• They want to be treated like human beings, not account numbers.
• They want to know they can trust the people they do business with.
• They want to know that the people they give their business to actually value their business.
• They want products and services that are fit for purpose, made available at a reasonable price.
• If and when something goes wrong, they want to know the facts. Quickly. Without window-dressing.
• They???d like to know what is best for them, so they???d like to talk to their friends and relatives about it.
• They???d like to know what their friends recommend, and they???d like to recommend things to their friends.
• They???d like help when something turns out more complicated than they???d expected, or when they???re trying to do something different.
• And they???d like to know that they???re being treated fairly.
• In exchange for all this, they are willing to give their custom regularly and loyally. As part of a trusted relationship. Where people buy from people and people sell to people.
• In exchange for all this, they are willing to become customers.

In the end, it’s trust.