Today's companies and start-ups have all but one goal: to satisfy people's needs. Now, look around, how many other companies can offer services similar to yours? How many of them would be able to satisfy the needs of your own customers? Surely there are some? If instead the answer is "nobody" this means that you are the sector leader, but pay attention because you cannot be the industry leader forever, this position must be maintained! How do you keep your customers close?
The answer is very simple: you must earn their trust, and to do so, you need to build long-term relationships.
Just a few trivial examples (but not as much as you might think): do you change barbershop or hairdresser every time? Where do you go to repair the car? In a different garage every time? Meaning you consider your barber and mechanic to be trusted people, and for sure that this trust was created after years of frequenting.
The bridge to long-term relationships
Added value
To create a relationship based on trust, there must be an exchange of mutual value between your company and customers ... as it is with friends! When communicating, be sure to also convey your company's mission! Let's take a very practical example that you are experiencing ...
Microsoft - Mission: Empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
The post you are reading now is not by chance an article from our partner hub, with the sole purpose of helping you (and why not inspire you) to achieve more.
When you communicate with your customers try to establish a relationship and add real value? Give them that little something they wouldn't find at your competitors?
Interactivity
Have you ever tried to establish a real friendship relationship with your audience? When you send your emails, do you call them by name or send them one-size-fits-all emails? To cultivate a relationship, the customer wants to feel special and unique, he wants to get attention and above all availability on your part. If you reply late to their emails, the trust will decrease, and the chance that they will turn to your competitor will increase.
Do you really interact with your customers or is your communication strategy one-sided? You maybe want to ask for their opinions and doubts? Creating interaction will increase the chance to get noticed. To do this, try sending them polls and questionnaires about a certain topic, so that you can help them better in the future! Organize round tables to exchange opinions, you will be amazed what you will learn and be chocked by the things you took for granted and where not!
Remember that satisfied customers are the first ambassadors of your company! They will be the ones who will recommend you to friends and colleagues to satisfy certain needs!
Trust
Now it’s time to practice what you preach, if you do it properly you will gain their trust for sure.
Long-term relationships serve even at the time of failure. Imagine making a mistake while dealing with a client whom you have been doing business with for years. Because of the experience and trust consolidated over time, he will understand, forgive you and remain close to you. A fortiori, if as a true friend, you commit yourself to apologize and perhaps offer him a free service.
Always remember: acquiring a new customer costs 5 times as much as maintaining an existing one.
Here you have some basic rules:
- Be kind: You must always be kind! You have to always thank them when needed and show a very high availability to satisfy your customer’s needs! Always be available for your clients!
- Do not intervene only when needed: true friends come in bad time, ... But even more important, friends are those who are always close to you! Contact your customers to ask them just to know if they are fine, it may seem a trivial gesture, but not so obvious. Believe me that the customer will remember you!
- Be patient: The results of your efforts will certainly not be seen overnight, but you will definitely notice a change in the tone of voice if your continue your efforts. The results will come, you just have to be patient and devote the maximum to cultivate your relationships.
A story by Filippo Reppi
