8 Tips for Long-Lasting Client Relationships
Surely you have seen many business-offers
promising discounts, special offers, benefits, exchange schemes, or special
rates to loyal customers. Why do established businesses do it? It is a way for
them to communicate their appreciation to their clients. Doing so helps them to
increase their profits.
They aim to retain existing customers and entice
new ones. Yes! Businesses know that long-term relationships are valuable. They
invest big amounts to make them last longer. How about small businesses? Here
are a few valuable tips for them to build lasting relationships with customers.
1#
Research Your Customer
You need to know your customers thoroughly if
you want to form long-lasting relationships with them. Invest in market
research and get answers to the following questions.
·
Who
are my customers?
·
What
do they need?
·
Why
do they need it?
·
Why
would they hire you or buy from you?
·
What
do they intend to gain by doing so?
·
What
did they try before?
·
Did
it work for them?
·
What
are their short-term and long-term objectives?
·
Which
channels do they prefer to gather information and communication?
How do you communicate with your existing
customers? Snail mail, landline phone, smartphone, SMS, MMS, or email? You
should know the best way of communicating with your clients? Knowing it gives
you an opportunity to communicate unhindered and without causing any
inconvenience to your client. Streamlined and efficient communication is the
basis of a trouble-free relationship.
2#
Manage Client
Expectation
When you are offering products or services to
the client first-time, it is important to be transparent in what you offer and
what they pay for it. It makes it easy to manage client expectations.
Be open about your rates and pricing, due dates
for the different tasks and stages of a project, payment due dates, time to
respond to client's emails, etc. Do it at the start.
3#
Strive for Open
Communication
Open communication leads to successful
relationships with clients. Customers have questions, updates, suggestions, and
needs. They should feel comfortable while discussing these with you.
Without it, your output and, ultimately the
relationship will suffer. Make conscious efforts to improve it by brainstorming
issues with your client, daily work updates using phone, email, Google Drive, etc.
4#
Work on Creating Great
Experience
You will be able to retain your clients and have
a prolonged relationship with them only if you become a go-to resource for
them. It will happen if you can surpass their expectations to seal their
positive experience. To this end, you should think of
·
Training
them in how to maximize the use of your products or services
·
Using
your expertise to solve the other issues not covered by your project
·
Going
the extra mile and complete the project ahead of schedule
5#
Be Friendly But Not
Personal
Showing respect, kindness, and understanding
helps you in coming out with your human side. It goes a long way towards
building a stable relationship. Instead of treating your clients as a source of
income, treat them like a person having needs, problems, and goals.
Adopt a friendly approach; however, remember
that it is a professional relationship. Avoid being too personal. Don't be
robotic in dealing with them; instead, bring some warmth and courtesy to the
conversation. Whenever you can, greet them, wish them, and be polite. Make them
wish that it will be fun to work with you again.
6#
Ask for & Value
Client Feedback
From time to time, meet them in person or call
them to ask for their feedback. It will reveal what they think about your work.
Then, go ahead and implement it. It will show that you value their judgment.
And as a thorough professional, you respect it.
7#
Own Up Your Mistake
When you start working for your client, it is
like the meeting of two diverse cultures. In the beginning, you will find that
it is hard to gain trust. However, show that you are committed and accept
responsibility towards your actions.
If you make a mistake, accept it without any
hesitation. It is human to err. Accept & apologies for it, and it will be
easy for both of you to move on. You deny it, and it will sow mistrust between
you. You can't build a long-lasting professional relationship based on
mistrust.
8#
Make It Easy For Them To
Work With You
The clients hire you for your expertise. They
also want to avoid inconvenience and stress. Now, make it easy for them to work
with you and maximize their benefits.
Use technology to share plans, schedules,
changes, and work progress with them. Use collaborative tools like Google
Drive, G-Suit, etc. Streamline your invoicing
and billing process by using accounting software.
Most people want to pay their dues as early as
possible. So use online
accounting software to prepare and send customized invoices to them. Don't
send it by snail mail.
When you want to establish a long-term
relationship with your client, every small thing matters. You need to look at
them from different angles and give them your personal touch. Once clients
start acknowledging it, you become an irreplaceable resource to them. Then,
they also start making allowances so as to work with you. Now the relationship
becomes two-sided.
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