Do business value me as someone more than a consumer?

Customer acquisition is at the top of many businesses' priority list, but it's not always an easy task. Figuring out how consumers think and what they really want can be tricky. Most consumers want to feel valued by the company and develop trust with them. This personalized service can be tricky to master, but if a company can tap into making its customers feel like they are more than just a revenue source then it can increase its sales more than it ever dreamed. It's this approach that forces businesses to think of you as not just a customer, but a loyal partner.

Business to Customer Relationship
In today's technological era, customers are more involved in product development than ever before. There are a multitude of different online platforms where they can voice their opinion and share their experiences, so it's more important for companies to keep customers happy. A brand can use surveys and consumer feedback to develop a popular product or even choose new products to release. People can even build their own items using things such as 3-D printers or customize options on certain websites.
At the birth of modern commerce, most companies were accustomed to telling their customers what they wanted. They would create products based on research and then try to sell it to the masses. The more technology snuck into their arena, though, the less this approach worked. All of sudden a customer could go to another store with two clicks of their mouse and find a better product for lower cost.
This shift in dynamic may have been one of the most beneficial things for companies, though. The move toward a more tailored service can help them to increase their sales because they know what their customers want. It is easier to sell things that the majority of your customer base has expressed interest in, so they can use an open dialogue with customers to establish a relationship and further their business.
Common Customer Behaviors
To effectively market products and engage customers, a business has to understand how people think about their product. They have to take into consideration that their customers are more than consumers; they're people with their own set of values and principles.
One way companies examine customer behavior is finding out what makes them say "no." In most cases, people are more likely to be compliant when minimal requirements are set. For example, a company with a free returns policy might get more business than a company that charges shipping on returns because there is less risk in that purchase and its an easier process for the customer.
Businesses might even create groups within their loyal customer base. This helps them to think of people as more than consumers, but as shoe fanatics, or outerwear enthusiasts. If it can group them by what they buy most, then they can market products more effectively and provide a more helpful service to customers. Think of any small brands or shops that you frequent. You probably receive emails with suggestions tailored to your specific taste; this is how the company caters to your individual needs.
Importance of Trust
Consumers can find all the information they want on a company, and they will if they've never heard of it before, which can be especially scary for small or new businesses. Today's customers value brand loyalty and corporate transparency perhaps more than any other factor. So to earn consumer's trust, companies have to abide by these expectations.
There are a few ways that companies will try to build trust with their customers. The first is by teaching them about their products and their brand, mainly why they should be at the top of anyone's Christmas list. As businesses inform people about their products, they also need to listen to and implement the feedback they receive. Any company that doesn't learn from its customers is one heading down quickly.