Ten Ways to be a Better at Leveraging Customer Relationships
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008Written by Martin Haworth from his website:
http://www.Coaching-Businesses-To-Success.com
- Be Open
Start hearing what your customers are saying. Truly listen and realise you can benefit if you hear properly. - Create Conversations
Get out there with your customers. Ask questions, value their input and build great relationships for the future. - Get Past Criticism
It’s not about you, or your people. The negatives you get are fixable – and sometimes need a deeper consideration of what they mean. So be honest about causes (hint – it will be something to do with you!) - Savour Feedback
It is a gift for you – relish it! You may wish to let off a little whoop of delight every time you get feedback. It truly is a cause for celebration. - Get Your Team Onboard
And share your enthusiasm too. Get your people realising that they are not in the wrong – yet they can be a lot more in the right. Be happy about this! - Keep in Touch
When you have these open and honest conversations with your customers, remember to take contact details and get back to them with outcomes – they will love it! And become an ongoing advocate for you. - See Opportunity
In days where prices are squeezed,; product distribution is widespread; and services are being shipped overseas, this level of positive, constructive customer relationships is about all you’ve got – it can become your USP. - Share Widely
Let all of your people know the successes you are having. This creates an upward spiral of involvement – everyone will want their ‘customers’ to be the useful ones! - Keep Smiling
Hey – have fun with this – respect your customers and be prepared to get involved with them – share a different sort of relationship from the usual adversarial. Smile together:-). - Give Back
Treat your customers kindly. Encourage feedback and reward them with gifts – be different! They and what’s more you will love it!