You are cracking deals left and right, but something feels off? You should be looking into how you are interacting with your clients, and what relationship quality you are aiming at. Effort that you are putting into communication with the client is something that you should not superficial, and there are reasons to it. Every message, e-mail, and call is equally important on the macro scale.
Why It Is So Important
Here at Movadex, it is our top priority to build meaningful relationships with clients. Our aim is to create a particular atmosphere from the very first interaction. The vibe that we are always looking for is a feeling of friendliness, ease, and relaxation. Truth is, making business is stressful as it is, and making people more stressed when they come to you is a very bad call. From a company standpoint, it may lose you a big chunk of money, and rightfully so, because one should never forget that your b tousiness exists because of people who come to do that business with you.
Work On Your Fundamentals
You might have the question: "So how do I build strong relationships with my clients?". Well, you should work on your fundamentals first, as it's not actually rocket science. However, thousands of business owners make these mistakes of not simply following the basic steps.
Treat Them As People
Yes, they have come to work with you and do business. While some people prefer staying strictly professional and keep it that way from the start, the majority still wants to keep the interactions and all communication as human as possible. Most people of age 20 to 35 are a part of new generation that prefers being more informal, and speaking on the same level with people around them. What it does is makes the communication friendlier and easier, keeping the anxiety levels at minimum.
Treat Them As Individuals
We are all different, and want to be treated as such. There are no particular trick to communicating with people: you have to adapt as you go. A good practice is to try and understand what are the core values of that person, and what are they aiming at, and go from there. It is another psychological thing, after all. After learning as much information about the person, try to relate to them and make every interaction with them personal, show them that you get them on the level that no other company did, and it will be worth it! Apart from a long-term relationship, you'll get a good review, and increased customer retention.
Respect Their Time
Time is limited, and we all know that. That's why you have to make every conversation worth yours and client's time. This tip is not particularly complicated: simply take into account that you have to book calls in advance, and sometimes not everything is going to work out after the planning. Be sure to always ask if they are able to make it to a call, offering to reschedule if not. This way, you will be building a credibility of a business that values time and adapts to changes. It goes without saying that showing up on time is essential, and there is no way around it. If you can't make it, don't make up excuses, be sincere, say that you are sorry for the mishap, and reschedule!
Exceed The Expectations
When we are doing business with someone, we have our expectations. There are three ways that your deal can go to: you fail to meet them, you succeed, or you exceed the expectations allover! It's quite obvious, but you should always aim to exceed. There are many tips for that:
- Always be quick to reply - Always update on the progress - Always be friendly - Always be ready to accept changes - Always be proactive Apart from these macro things, there are many micro ones that you should follow. Saying "have a great day" or simply following up on your call that just happened is a very good practice that should not be overlooked! Remember, relationships are made not only from the big stuff, every detail counts.
Be Sincere
This applies to so many aspects of our lives that it wouldn't be fair to ignore it. Many companies and businesses tend to be on a darker side of being transparent in what they do, and it might (will) backfire at them when they won't be waiting for it. First, don't go and stretch your abilities to the client. If you can't do something, you don't have the experience, say so, following up with that you will use everything in your arsenal to do the best job you can. Second, don't pretend like you can do everything. Truth is, most of companies should be really doing only one or two things, not more, but for the sake of bigger market coverage they simply say that they can do pretty much everything you can throw at them. In the end, most of the services that they have provided are bad quality. Third, don't talk on controversy. This is a big no-no for everyone in business, because it will turn a certain amount of people against you no matter what. We, as humans, are very different in where we stand, and if you pleased one half, the other will put twice as effort to bury you in sand. There is more to it, though, as silence can trigger someone too: we live in this kind of world when everyone can get angry over everything, even at absolute absence of things to get angry over.
Be Open About Your Opinion
While it comes from the sincerity, being open about your opinion is another subject. There are two sides to it: human and professional, and you might want to convince them. As a human, you have your own opinion on the project and it's subjective; as a professional, you have an objective opinion. So, if your client wants to do something sketchy or general what is not best for them, it is in your interest to tell them so, and instantly offer the other way to accomplish their current goal. Admitting that you don't like something is crucial for building a strong relationship that is built on openness and personal strength.
Rude People
Now that is something straight from a manager's nightmare. Rude clients will happen to you, you have to accept that and be ready to deal with them. The one and only tip for that is to don't answer to them with any trace emotion. Just always be on the neutral side. Any emotional coloring, be it positive or negative, will make the situation even worse. When dealing with such people, it is imperative to understand the importance of thinking ahead: is the money that I will get from them worth it? In reality, it isn't. Chances are they will not be satisfied no matter how well you do their job, you will get demolished in reviews, get zero star rating somewhere else, plus a good portion of anxiety. Generally, it is better to avoid such people. It wouldn't be fair not to note that it goes both ways: you shouldn't be rude to your customers too.
To Sum Up
Working with people is tough, and there is now way around that. Learning how to do the communication game right comes with experience and countless hours of looking for the ways to hone your skills. In the end, we must all remember that we are all equal: human beings, and must be treated as such, with respect.
