5 tips on building trusting client relationships, and how that helps when it comes to being visible in your marketplace
If I’ve learnt one major lesson in my time as a retailer, it’s that the customer must always come first! Without customers, I wouldn’t have had my business. And it goes without saying, that without trusting client relationships built from positive customer experiences, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to manage multiple stores for 25+ years.
So when my clients come to me and say that they have an issue with being visible in the marketplace, customer service is usually where I like to start. Here’s why…
For a lot of businesses and brands, customer service can be the only way to stand out from the competition. But how do you stand out in a sea of sameness? You make people feel good about themselves, their experience with you, and you leave a lasting impression that has them talking about you to their friends. Put simply, people are 100 times more likely to advocate for you and refer you to their friends, when they trust that you are good. And referrals are the greatest free advertising you could ever buy! And let’s not forget about testimonials… when you’re searching for a business on google, which are you likely to pick; the one with 0 reviews, or the one with 25? Exactly.
So how do you build trusting client relationships that leave your customers talking about and your brand? Start here…
1. Treat your customers like you have all the time in the world – I walked into a store recently knowing exactly what I wanted to buy. In fact, I had just been to a department store and they were out of stock and sent me somewhere else where they knew it would be available. As I approached the store, I saw the two workers talking and, as soon as they saw me come in, both put their heads down and made themselves look very busy. Either I was wearing an invisible coat that day, or they just couldn’t be bothered. Well, guess what? They missed their easiest sale of the day that would have required just four little words… ‘can I help you?’ Greet your customers, ask them questions, have a chat if they’re up for it and make them feel valued. Because good service is certainly hard to find!
2. Ask for feedback – not only will you be able to better adapt and serve your customers, but you build trust by letting the customer know that you care about their opinions and are out to serve their needs. And whether you’re in store, online, over the phone or somewhere else, there are plenty of different ways to ask for feedback.
3. Be where your customers are – you should know exactly who your target market is. You should know how, where and when they like to receive their information, and what messages resonate with them. And because you know all of this, you need to be where they are, making it as convenient as possible for them to gather information. If you market to millennials, then social media is important. If you market to 80 year old women, a TikTok isn’t going to serve you. See what I’m saying?
4. Create a loyalty or rewards program – one of the biggest challenges businesses face is gaining repeat business. By offering rewards to existing clients they are more likely to come back, building trust with each experience, and increase their lifetime value to your business.
5. Own your issues – the old saying ‘the customer is always right’ might not necessarily be so, but understanding that problems don’t get fixed without accepting responsibility and coming up with a plan to fix it, is the only way forward. Accept that there is an issue, and put a solution in place to solve it. And always follow up with the customer to let them know!
I can’t stress enough how important quality customer service is for your brand’s reputation, repeat business and bottom line.
If you need some help with customer service, book in a free 30 minute Connection Call, and let’s chat on where to start your journey for quality customer service and lasting relationships. Book here.