The month of February is the month of LOVE. It is a time to show how much you care about and cherish those closest to you, by doing something special, personal and heartfelt. Like with personal relationships, businesses should be taking a similar position with their customers.
Businesses are always trying to find creative ways to reach, serve, and engage their customers. But they sometimes make the mistake of attempting to accomplish this through tactics and strategies that their competitors are already doing, when they should instead be simply focusing on the little things that make the difference and that capture the attention, commitment and hearts of their customers.
In that spirit, we want to encourage you to find ways to demonstrate that you genuinely value, appreciate, and care about your customers, beyond providing your expertise.
In this first of a three-part series, we explore some foundational tips, ideas, and suggestions for showing true love to your customers:
1) Be reliable
Deliver your products/services in a timely manner, and do what you say you will do; without trust, the love can’t be established.
2) Solve problems and provide solutions… promptly and quickly
After all, that is what you are ultimately being paid to do.
3) Make it easy to do business with your company
Your customers are seeking solutions and results from your company; do not make them do the work and become a source of anxiety or frustration for them.
4) Be genuine
Never, ever pretend to be something you aren’t; customers will eventually see your true colors and their trust in you will be diminished.
5) Be professional, but be comfortable showing your lighter side
Customers want to know they are dealing with real people like themselves; after all, people do business with people, not buildings and services.
6) Be accessible
Make sure your customers can reach you or someone from your team when they need to. Prompt response time is a key differentiator between satisfied and unsatisfied customers.
7) Always be available
Never tell a customer you are too busy to help them or meet their needs; they want to feel special and important, so treat them as such.
8) Operate from a position of integrity
Uphold and protect the trust you earned when the relationship was established by keeping your promises and commitments.
9) Listen to your customers… really listen
Don’t just do the work you were hired to do; take the time to know your customers’ goals, concerns, needs and wants and incorporate those into your services and deliverables.
