Understanding your customers, anticipating their needs and making them feel valued and special are the key to giving them good service - which, in turn, boosts loyalty. How to go about building strong relationships with your customers
Getting to know your customers
All customer-facing employees need to be prepared get to know customers on a one-to-one basis. Through each interaction, they can build a relationship - helping them anticipate requirements and exceed expectations.
The data you hold on your customers - what they order, how frequently they order, any special requests that they make - all help you build an understanding of their wants, needs and preferences. You might invest in a CRM to retain this information, but for most smaller businesses with fewer customers, this knowledge is likely to be held in your sales records and personal knowledge of customers.
As your business grows and you take on staff, you need to make sure that your customer-facing employees maintain a friendly but professional attitude to your customers and their job. It's up to each and every employee to make customers feel welcome.
The skills involved in building ordinary relationships and establishing rapport with customers are basically the same. Customer-facing people need to be comfortable using these skills, in order to do their job well.
Making customers feel special and valued
Making people feel special is one of the essential elements in forming good customer relationships.
You can show that you think a customer is worth your time and attention in many ways. For example, sending them a small discount to use in their birthday month or thanking them for their business on the anniversary of their first order. You could also set up a loyalty programme that allows them to earn discounts or freebies.
It is this ability to show that you feel this - and not just say it - that makes good customer relationships.
This is true of any relationship, whether it is an intimate partnership or a professional contact with a customer. Like so many other personal skills, showing that you truly value a relationship is a skill that can be learned and developed.
Remember: it's not enough to feel positive about your customer; you must show it in your words and actions. People cannot read your mind - they can only see your actions and hear your words.
Eight ways to improve customer relationships
- Make customers feel welcome - whether that's on your website, social media profiles or in your premises.
- Make it easy for customers to contact you. Reply promptly and, if you don't have an immediate answer, let them know you will respond as soon as possible.
- Reassure customers that their needs are heard and understood.
- Show that you can be trusted to deliver on your promises. And, if you can't deliver what you have promised, for whatever reason, apologise and keep customers updated. If necessary, put things right by offering a refund or replacement.
- Demonstrate that your customers are your top priority.
- Always treat customers with respect.
- Listen to any customer concerns, thank them for their feedback and act on it courteously.
- Provide prompt, high-quality service.
Think about these when you are next dealing with a customer.
Written by Mac Mackay.
