Reconceptualization of the consumer

Detachment from the strict economic transaction

Traditionally, the corporate environment has instilled in us a highly restrictive and unempathetic definition of who deserves our immediate professional attention.

We have been conditioned to believe that only that person who delivers financial compensation in exchange for a good is worthy of being considered under our sphere of care.

However, this purely mercantilist view proves to be an enormous obstacle to institutional growth.

Limiting our efforts and kindness only to those who have already formalized a payment implies wasting a universe of invaluable possibilities and human interactions.

If we maintain the firm belief that the rest of the world are mere invisible prospects until they open their wallets, our organizational culture will become cold, calculating and distant.

It is imperative to shed this transactional approach and begin to value the human approach above any immediate monetary exchange.

Focusing on the resolution of integral needs

Conceptual redefinition invites us to look at our interlocutor from a much more compassionate and broad perspective: to recognize him or her simply as a human being who comes to us with a specific need or concern that requires resolution.

Let's imagine for a moment that someone walks into a hardware store seeking urgent guidance to stop a water leak in their home, even if they have no intention of buying the tool on the spot.

If the clerk has the exact information to guide that person, at that precise moment he assumes the role of assistance provider and the visitor becomes his protégé.

The fact that there is no contract or monetary fee involved to tell them the correct procedure in no way invalidates the real nature of the interaction.

We remain facilitators of solutions to a latent need in a complex environment.

Summary

It is urgent to abandon the idea that a consumer is only one who makes a payment. This limiting view hinders the true potential of our organization.

The new perspective defines the user as any individual who manifests a latent need. Addressing these gaps fosters a much more valuable human connection.

Even without direct financial exchanges, selflessly assisting someone with a need builds a highly positive institutional image. Pure empathy transforms everyday interactions into highly enduring bonds.