“You need to
have a good relationship with your customer.”
“The key to
customer satisfaction is relationship.”
“Relationship
selling is the next big mantra.”
Haven’t you
heard this before? The same old words, with a little twist here, and a little
twist there. But, have you ever been told the formula for relationships?
Well, relationships are developed and sustained through actions, not just intent.
And relationships are not just about sending thank you cards to clients, or sending them seasons greetings. Relationships are nurtured through one
simple but powerful word -GIVING.
Giving the
client what he needs the most.
But for giving, knowing what to give is absolutely necessary. Mainly our knowledge about customers is
limited to only things that they need at the transaction level, i.e., the
specific need they call us for.
Knowledge
needs to be in 3 specific areas:
- Transactional
- Business
- Personal
Knowledge is
important because you can do things for the client only in the areas that you know. Companies collect heaps of information from clients, but most of
the times they have no clue how to utilize it to create great relationships.
So check for
yourselves, what all do you know about your clients in the above 3 areas? And what
have you done with that knowledge?
What You Know > What You Give > Level of Relationships
So your level
of relationship with the customer will develop in the area you start giving to
the client. Giving can only be possible when we become resourceful and believe
in abundance.
A
transaction level relationship is considered as a minimum level for survival.
If you haven’t created a relationship for transactions he will switch, the
moment he finds another service provider. If you give guidance and support in the
business area you will develop a business level relationship. If you give
support in the personal area, you have developed a personal relationship.
Giving with
genuine concern and without an expectation of any returns is in true sense
Giving. These are the simple ways to create
lasting relationships. And any such act of giving has impact on a higher level of
returns.
So now what
is the level of relationship that you wish to create with your clients? And what
is it that you can give them, which will make a difference to their lives?
