What does it mean to be authentic in today’s day and age? It seems like there are so many ways for a person to get conned or scammed that they have almost come to expect it. Even when you open your email everyday, you have to expect at least one scam in the total number of emails you receive. It might be in your inbox or in your “Social” or “Promotions” section.

Aside from emails, you might receive text messages from questionable companies, Facebook messages from people who have been hacked or even Tinder messages from people trying to make a fast buck! In the middle of all these attempts to get your money, swindle you or hack into your computer and plant malware or viruses there, how are you supposed to trust anyone?

Being Open and Honest with Customers

This is where the concept of authenticity/transparency comes in. The idea is to be as open and honest with your customers as possible because this is what most people are looking for. They want someone they can trust, someone who is actually trying to help them and add value to their lives.

And it’s not enough to simply manufacture a product or provide a service that does this. You also have to inform people of your manufacturing process or the process of providing the service so that they’ll know that your aim is to help them out.

Outlining Your Process on Your Website

A lot of companies inform their customers about their processes now. This can easily be done on one of the tabs of your website. The idea behind this is to show the customer that you’re being open about your processes.

For example, if you run a carpentry business, you can start by informing customers where your materials come from.

• Are you using recycled wood? Or are you cutting down the rainforest? Are you buying from a company which plants a new tree for every tree it cuts down?
• Who works on your pieces? Are they handcrafted? Are they made in a factory?
• Are you focusing on quality? Are you focusing on quality but still trying to keep your pieces reasonably priced?
• Are you treating your employees well? Do you give them many benefits without expecting too much overtime? Can you even get one of them interviewed and put it on your site?

No company is perfect. But by being transparent in this way, you can show your customers that you are trying your best to create a better tomorrow for them.

Contact us for more great tips to be more authentic and transparent in your dealings with customers.