Afraid to hear what your customers have to say?
Don’t be. Trust us when we say they’re on your side.
During phase one of our brand development process, we ask to interview your clients. Why? It’s difficult to read the label when you’re standing inside of the jar.
We look to understand from their perspective who you really are, what you stand for as an organization and the true value you bring to their business and their professional lives. More importantly, the many ways you can take things up a notch.
We ask them how you can improve on your services or extend your line of services to better meet their needs today and in the future. More importantly, we ask how you demonstrate that you value them as a customer beyond fulfilling your contractual obligations. We hear more often than not, they don’t really. So, we further probe to find out what would make a difference. It turns out that small and heartfelt gestures count.
What we’ve learned, regardless of industry, is that your customers are people with good days and bad just like everyone else. After hundreds of interviews completed to date, what we have consistently learned is that reaching out and demonstrating a desire to build and sustain a positive and caring relationship with them goes a long way to earn loyalty. Yes, we’re talking about time.
Despite the fact that we live in the digital age where face-to-face meetings seem so unnecessary, we can tell you with certainty that they matter. They can make or break a relationship. Don’t assume your customers see it your way. You are never too busy. Get up, get out there (as our tagline suggests) and go see them.
Customers give their business to the person standing there, the one that shows up – in person.
· Make the time for face-to-face meetings
· Invest in building personal relationships
· Learn what your customer sees as going the extra mile
· Know what really sets them off
· Bring them something even if it’s new news about your industry
· Keep it up
Electronic relationships can get away from you and once they do, recovery is next to impossible. It’s easy to ignore a few typed words on a screen or worse, to misinterpret the direction, motivation and tone of the message. Is that the best you can do? Really? Write a few impersonal lines and hope for a response, a contract or a referral?
Book a reservation and invite them to lunch.
Sounds a bit old school? Remember, technology has changed – human attitudes and behaviours have not.