The way that a company engages with its customers to improve the customer’s experience is the definition of customer relations. Building a strong relationship with your clients provides the chance to expand into bigger and better opportunities. Andrew Miller, former CEO of Polycom, Inc., provided us with helpful tips on how to improve your business’ customer relations.
Get to Know Them
First and foremost, your initial step to building a strong relationship with your customers is to know them. We don’t just mean knowing their name and what they do either. Prior to your first encounter, study their company, their past achievements, and any further information you can retrieve. During your first meeting, delve deep into their needs and reference the information you learned about them for a great first impression. Another great way to personalize the meeting, even more, is by conducting it in person. If you are able to go on-site and see their culture and how their staff interacts, you’ll learn how to communicate with them more effectively.
Provide Top Notch Customer Service
Your customers will most likely come into contact with your employees or software first. Therefore, providing them with a great first impression is key. Do this by having highly skilled employees who are motivated by quickly solving customer problems. Also, be sure to include customer service and professional communication training in the orientation phase to begin the foundation of an effective employee. If the software is the main domain for client contact ensure that all of your software and services are efficient. If your website is lagging, there’s a great chance they will hit the back button and go to the next competitor.
Give Them Your Time
After meeting with your client you should always allow time for them to discuss their questions and concerns they may have. Not only should time be provided for their questions, but you should also be timely in your responsiveness to their questions outside of scheduled meetings. Showing that you are dedicated to their partnership will make them more comfortable in the relationship. Furthermore, it is important your company is providing them with regular updates. Whether this be through a phone call, scheduled meeting, or quick email, it is vital you are showing your clients how your team is progressing to meeting the set goals.
Request Feedback
Once your customer has received and utilized your product or service you should request feedback on how it did or didn’t meet their needs. You can obtain feedback by personally reaching out to the client, sending a short survey or questionnaire, or by asking them to leave a review on your company’s social media page. By requesting this feedback your company will be better able to strengthen the good attributes and fix the lacking features to better meet their needs and future clients’ needs.
While there are numerous other ways to build a strong relationship with your clients, Miller believes these tips will help you build a strong foundation. If you place your customers first and treat them as such, your company will reap the benefits.
