I am continually astounded by the number of salespersons that I come across who have little or no idea of what their clients expectations are from their dealings with the salesperson or his company. How does a salesperson meet and exceed expectations if he has no idea what those expectations are? How does the salesperson expect to earn referrals from the client? Here’s a novel idea. Ask!
Ask them what it is about your company or you that makes them want to do business with you. Ask them what it was about your sales process that gave them the most value. Ask how they will measure the success, or otherwise, of the relationship over the next six months to a year. Show that you are listening carefully when they answer as this will build trust and further the partnership relationship you want to cultivate.
I find it helpful to pick up the phone and ask some of my established clients what we can add or change that would make their experience with us more enjoyable. You cannot rest upon your laurels because your competition will be continuing to improve on their service and their offerings. If you stagnate in this area the time will come that your clients will leave your practice for that of your competitor. Keep up to date with the needs of your clients.
Encourage your clients to complain. An unhappy client who says nothing when things go wrong, but quietly takes his business elsewhere, does not help you to correct what went wrong. Further, if it was a systems problem in your business you can be sure that other clients are also unhappy. If a client feels free to complain and knows that his complaint will be taken in the right spirit, it gives you the opportunity for either yourself or your business to learn from the problem and to improve by rectifying the issue that led to the client’s complaint. Make sure that you immediately apologise for any inconvenience to your clients whenever they do experience any problems. Listen to the full complaint before making any comments of your own. Offer a solution and ask if your solution is acceptable. If your solution is not acceptable, then ask the client what outcome he or she would find acceptable. Then act on this solution to bring about a positive outcome for the client in the shortest time possible. Do not abdicate the problem to anyone else. If someone else is responsible for sorting out the problem, you must remain in touch with your client until the issue has been resolved to the client’s satisfaction. Keep your client informed of the progress being made towards the promised solution at regular intervals either by telephone or e-mail as preferred by the client.
Everyone makes mistakes. After all we are only human. If you do make a mistake, do not wait for your client to discover it before you address it. When you discover the mistake, immediately notify your client of the mistake, apologise for it and offer a workable solution. As soon as the client accepts your solution put it into effect without unnecessary delays. You give yourself the opportunity to enhance your credibility with a client when you solve a mistake or that client’s problem speedily and in the manner consistent with what you said you would do.
If your client makes a mistake, apologise for their inconvenience and then try and resolve their misunderstanding without making the client feel embarrassed. Don’t say “You are wrong because…”. If you have no option but to point out your client’s mistake to him do so in a patient and gentle manner that leaves the client feeling that they learned something from you that they didn’t know or understand previously. Create a win – win situation whenever possible.
A client who complains for no reason or appears to be continually creating issues that waste your time or that of your servicing colleagues, and whose behaviour compromises your service offering to other clients is not a good client. Further, do not let any of your clients make you compromise your integrity. If I am ever in doubt about any course of action, I follow the maxim that I must be happy to explain my actions to a national newspaper and be found faultless. If you have any clients who refuse to curb their deviant behaviour, it may well be in your personal and your businesses interests to tell the client to go and find another provider.
The same applies to any suppliers of products and services to your business, particularly those who make a habit of causing you to look bad in the eyes of your clients. If a supplier cannot deliver the required quality at the appropriate time then perhaps an alternative supplier should be sourced. In the same way that you want to work in a partnership type relationship with your clients you must form working partnerships with your suppliers. These partnerships can hold a number of advantages for you especially when extra stops need to be pulled out to give priority to a large order for your client, or where a specific deadline needs to be met. A working relationship implies passion for service and honesty and integrity in all dealings; if this is how you wish to appear to your clients it is important that your suppliers have the same core values. If your client’s relationship and dealings are with you, it does not help your case if you blame your supplier for poor workmanship, even if this claim is valid.
One final point you must understand and employ in your business is to tell clients what you are doing for them. Sometimes you do so much, but because the client doesn’t see it or hear about it they think you are doing nothing. Let them know by keeping them informed by e-mail, SMS or by phone, whichever they prefer. Oh, and use third party referrals to give yourself added credibility. Collect actual referrals and client testimonies whenever someone compliments you on what you have done for them. Ask them if they wouldn’t mind putting it in writing to you. Sometimes, you might have to write the referral for them and ask them to put it on their letterhead. The way a third party referral works when you want to say “We are the best estate agents in South Africa…” is to say instead “Many of our clients have told us that……… we are the best estate agents in South Africa… “. It is funny, but clients are more likely to believe your third-party referral statement because you are not saying it directly but relaying what you say your clients are saying about you.
Ask them what it is about your company or you that makes them want to do business with you. Ask them what it was about your sales process that gave them the most value. Ask how they will measure the success, or otherwise, of the relationship over the next six months to a year. Show that you are listening carefully when they answer as this will build trust and further the partnership relationship you want to cultivate.
I find it helpful to pick up the phone and ask some of my established clients what we can add or change that would make their experience with us more enjoyable. You cannot rest upon your laurels because your competition will be continuing to improve on their service and their offerings. If you stagnate in this area the time will come that your clients will leave your practice for that of your competitor. Keep up to date with the needs of your clients.
Encourage your clients to complain. An unhappy client who says nothing when things go wrong, but quietly takes his business elsewhere, does not help you to correct what went wrong. Further, if it was a systems problem in your business you can be sure that other clients are also unhappy. If a client feels free to complain and knows that his complaint will be taken in the right spirit, it gives you the opportunity for either yourself or your business to learn from the problem and to improve by rectifying the issue that led to the client’s complaint. Make sure that you immediately apologise for any inconvenience to your clients whenever they do experience any problems. Listen to the full complaint before making any comments of your own. Offer a solution and ask if your solution is acceptable. If your solution is not acceptable, then ask the client what outcome he or she would find acceptable. Then act on this solution to bring about a positive outcome for the client in the shortest time possible. Do not abdicate the problem to anyone else. If someone else is responsible for sorting out the problem, you must remain in touch with your client until the issue has been resolved to the client’s satisfaction. Keep your client informed of the progress being made towards the promised solution at regular intervals either by telephone or e-mail as preferred by the client.
Everyone makes mistakes. After all we are only human. If you do make a mistake, do not wait for your client to discover it before you address it. When you discover the mistake, immediately notify your client of the mistake, apologise for it and offer a workable solution. As soon as the client accepts your solution put it into effect without unnecessary delays. You give yourself the opportunity to enhance your credibility with a client when you solve a mistake or that client’s problem speedily and in the manner consistent with what you said you would do.
If your client makes a mistake, apologise for their inconvenience and then try and resolve their misunderstanding without making the client feel embarrassed. Don’t say “You are wrong because…”. If you have no option but to point out your client’s mistake to him do so in a patient and gentle manner that leaves the client feeling that they learned something from you that they didn’t know or understand previously. Create a win – win situation whenever possible.
A client who complains for no reason or appears to be continually creating issues that waste your time or that of your servicing colleagues, and whose behaviour compromises your service offering to other clients is not a good client. Further, do not let any of your clients make you compromise your integrity. If I am ever in doubt about any course of action, I follow the maxim that I must be happy to explain my actions to a national newspaper and be found faultless. If you have any clients who refuse to curb their deviant behaviour, it may well be in your personal and your businesses interests to tell the client to go and find another provider.
The same applies to any suppliers of products and services to your business, particularly those who make a habit of causing you to look bad in the eyes of your clients. If a supplier cannot deliver the required quality at the appropriate time then perhaps an alternative supplier should be sourced. In the same way that you want to work in a partnership type relationship with your clients you must form working partnerships with your suppliers. These partnerships can hold a number of advantages for you especially when extra stops need to be pulled out to give priority to a large order for your client, or where a specific deadline needs to be met. A working relationship implies passion for service and honesty and integrity in all dealings; if this is how you wish to appear to your clients it is important that your suppliers have the same core values. If your client’s relationship and dealings are with you, it does not help your case if you blame your supplier for poor workmanship, even if this claim is valid.
One final point you must understand and employ in your business is to tell clients what you are doing for them. Sometimes you do so much, but because the client doesn’t see it or hear about it they think you are doing nothing. Let them know by keeping them informed by e-mail, SMS or by phone, whichever they prefer. Oh, and use third party referrals to give yourself added credibility. Collect actual referrals and client testimonies whenever someone compliments you on what you have done for them. Ask them if they wouldn’t mind putting it in writing to you. Sometimes, you might have to write the referral for them and ask them to put it on their letterhead. The way a third party referral works when you want to say “We are the best estate agents in South Africa…” is to say instead “Many of our clients have told us that……… we are the best estate agents in South Africa… “. It is funny, but clients are more likely to believe your third-party referral statement because you are not saying it directly but relaying what you say your clients are saying about you.
No comments:
Post a Comment