It’s so interesting.
Major companies are waking up to the fact that the customer is king – not the shareholder.
In a recent article published by CNBC, The Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs of nearly 200 major U.S. Corporations have agreed that a company’s main objective is not to protect and nourish shareholder value (the money and profit focus) – but rather to invest in employees, deliver value to customers, and deal ethically with suppliers while supporting outside communities.
They concluded that this course is THE WAY to protect shareholder value, which is true.
This is what Jeff and I have been saying about donors! The way to secure a donor’s investment is to serve the donor’s values and interests, NOT to go for the donor’s money.
In a commercial enterprise, the money comes from the customer. Keep the customer happy and you protect your economy.
In a non-profit, the money comes from the donor (individual and institutional). Keep the donor happy and you protect your economy.
Why is it that so many leaders, program people, finance people, operations people – why is it that so many non-fundraising people (and many fundraisers) in non-profits – don’t get this basic fact?
It’s the same reason the authority figures in commercial companies don’t get it.
They’re blinded by the money – the getting of it and the hoarding of it. It’s a focus on the money that clouds our vision of the customer as well as the donor.
When an airline, retail store, online store, restaurant, or service provider treats you shabbily or gives you a product that doesn’t work, or isn’t worth the price – you’ll change your mind about relating to that commercial entity. You, the customer, aren’t happy. It wasn’t a good experience. You find an alternative, and the company has lost an economic value.
Translate that one event into a critical mass, and the economic fall-out is a major thing.
When a non-profit treats you shabbily – by pestering you for money, not giving feedback on what your giving did, not being thankful for your participation, running an operation that isn’t ethical, or is self-centered – when a non-profit does that, you the donor, are not happy. It isn’t a good experience. And you’ll give less or find an alternative for your giving. En masse, this is not good.
Today, make it your purpose to give donors the place they deserve in your organization. Be their advocate throughout your organization’s systems. And treat them with the respect and honor they deserve. (Tweet it!)
Don’t forget.
Donors are where the money comes from.
Richard