GUEST COLUMN <> FOREWORD "IT'S THE CUSTOMER, STUPID!"
By: Jeffrey Gitomer, CSP, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame
Author of The Little Red Book of Selling

In today's "What's in it for me right now?" world, Michael Aun stands as a successful person who recognized that "right now" is not as powerful as "day-by-day." Consistency wins the race. And consistency is only one of Michael's success attributes. Family man, high ethics, and dogmatic to achieve and be positive from the first minute of the morning until his head hits the pillow at night, are some others.

His engaging online publication, "Behind the Mike," is a misnomer. Michael Aun is always out in front. It's the reason he has achieved so much in his career, and it's the reason he will continue to achieve. I always read it from beginning to end. It's loaded with his insight, humor, and wisdom.

In this book, It's The Customer, Stupid!, Michael goes to great lengths to explain the validity and the monetary value of customers, repeat customers, loyal customers, and referred customers. Because everyone is looking to make sales, build business, increase profits, and become successful NOW, this book addresses the gold in your own back yard that you are not mining. Your customers. Better stated, your loyal customers.

Michael has succeeded in the insurance business, which in my opinion is the most difficult business to achieve over the long term. In a market segment where no one wants to meet with the seller, Michael was always able to meet with the buyer, and he didn't just make sales, he established relationships and over the years has kept a fiercely loyal customer base. Not just renewals, but also referrals.

In this book Michael explains the why, the how, and the how much.

Think about your own customer base or your own client base.

How do they feel about you?
How do they talk about you?
What do they mean to you? (But more important, what do you mean to them?)
How valuable are you?
How believable are you?
How available are you?
And how trustworthy are you perceived to be?

All of these qualities ensure success, but not one without the other. And all of these qualities are Michael Aun qualities.

Everyone – including you – is looking for TODAY'S answers. An idea, a direction, a plan. This book is loaded with them. He's not saying, "Go back to basics." He's saying, "Here are the fundamentals. Here's how I handled them, here's how I mastered them, and here's what you need to do. Now!"

We're living in a time of doubt, a time of uncertainty, and a time of distrust. This book provides a road map for gaining these critical fundamental attributes while others are losing them.

NOTE WELL: As you read this book you would be well advised to grab a highlighter, read slowly, and make notes in the margins. And if you are persistent enough, and consistent enough, to turn those notes into actions - then you will have maximized the value of this book.

It's funny, when I first saw the title of this book, I immediately thought about how many companies I have talked to, and how many people, especially salespeople and service people, I have spoken with. When they talk about customers they say, "It's the stupid customer!"

Blaming is so easy in this world at this time. Taking responsibility is so much harder. But believe it or not it's safer, and more rewarding, for both the customer and for you.

Everyone has an idea, philosophy, or strategy about what customers are all about. Michael Aun has a passion for what customers are all about. And as you look through the table of contents you will find that he also has an understanding of what customers are all about.

It is from his lifetime of experience that you will gain new insights about the critical customer service topics in today's markets including: word-of-mouth marketing, word-of-mouth advertising, finding out what the customer really thinks, giving the customer more than they were expecting, having a service heart, problem resolution, and the all important skills of communication.

As a high-level Toastmaster, Michael has mastered the art and the science of communicating to a group and an individual, as husband and wife or a thousand husbands and wives.

This book also tackles the sensitive subjects of taking responsibility, advocacy, time management, speed of response, and bad news.

The cool part about bad news is that Michael shows you how to turn it into great news and provides insight that will help you understand how bad news occurs, how fast it travels, and the magic of converting it to good news.

As if all this weren't enough, there is the sensitive topic of results (or should I say measuring results). Michael's leadership both demands results and commands results. Michael's style and leadership assures results and does it using the voice of his customer, included with his own it is those collaborative qualities.

He doesn't "have" customers, he has fiercely loyal customers. They are an integral part of his success and Michael shows you how to make them an integral part of your success.

This book delivers Michael's experience as a salesman, a manager, a speaker, a businessman, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a person of character. It's authentic. And Michael's authenticity is transferable – to you.

I've known Michael for nearly 20 years. We are fellow members of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame. In fact, he was the one that nominated me. In order to respect someone's words and honor someone's deeds, you have to respect the person, and Michael Aun is the shining example of what to do in business, in family, and in life.