As business growth specialists we’d like to take you back to basics and help you identify quite simply the power of making it easy for your customers to like you and how to execute this well.
Being a well-liked, well-received brand is half the battle. It’s not always easy for clients to make connections with big brands in B2B or build particularly positive relationships; succeeding in doing this can not only make your customers and clients more agreeable but overall helps you to do your job.
Benefits:
- Stronger Client Relationships
- Better standard of work delivered by your team as a positive customer relationship allows you a better understanding of your client’s needs.
- Positive reputation as a great business to work with.
How?
Communications
We’re huge advocates of the power of communication and truly believe, through our experience of working with companies, large and small, though growth and transformation, that strong communications are at the core of all business operations. Communication touches each aspect and undertaking of business; acknowledging this fact and rooting the value of communication throughout company foundations can aid your business relations and growth going forward.
Clearly outlining both your responsibilities and theirs means that all parties are clear on what is expected of them in this working relationship. Giving clear deadlines for and updates on the work being carried out ensures no one is left wondering ‘when’ or ‘why’.
Many of the following recommendations have the underlying value of communication threated through them, so if you take nothing else away from this article – improve your internal and client communication!
Professionalism
Respect. Show your clients that they are respected from the beginning of your relationship. Respect for their wishes, opinions and needs and find ways to show this respect. Often one of the best ways to show this is to display that you have listened closely to their needs and reflect this through your work.
Sticking to deadlines. Prompt or even early delivery is a great way to show your level of professionalism and dedication to a project; there’s nothing worse than having to chase the company who you’re working with. Eliminating potential client concerns in this department is a solid stepping stone towards a healthy client relationship.
The extras. Doing a little extra work which you know could be useful to clients but which hasn’t been ordered can gain you favour and respect as a desirable company to work with.
Sticking to your word. This means not only keeping to deadlines but also ensuring all updates, call and meetings are kept and the work is delivered to the standard agreed. It’s as simple following through on your promises!
Consistency
In order to build up a rapport, consistency is key. Keeping your team or individual who deals with the client team the same throughout your communications will allow a stronger relationship to develop. This consistency allows the team to better understand client needs and therefore deliver to a higher standard, avoiding client frustration in lost communications or lack of understanding. Your company will be able to instil a greater level of trust and a reputation for reliability.
Personalisation
Each and every client is unique. When working with clients day in and day out, it can be easy to forget this sometimes, but the client needs to feel it, even if certain steps of the working process do need to be the same for all clients. Personalisation aids favourable feelings, from the basics such as knowing client team names and brand values, up to the well thought out intricacies of the work you deliver and a tailored Christmas gift. This personal level of service should be engrained in your own team – allowing your client to feel known, seen and valued from day one.
