That word ‘communication' simply means talking with one another, listening, responding. We all devalue those who don't act toward us with respect, concern for our concerns, the art of apologising if we've upset them.
The key components of keeping clients happy are:
-
Respect
- Acknowledgement
- Service their needs (not your own)
- Create a ‘circle of power'
- Complaints - Don't make excuses, fix the problem
- Give them a gift they didn't expect
- Contact them sometimes, just to stay in touch
Respect: See - and treat - your clients as your equals. If you respect them they may be in your life longer than many of your friends. Always ask yourself ‘If this person were my friend, wouldn't I want to make them happy with me?'
Acknowledgement: We each have expertise in our own area of responsibility. This still allows us to be teachers of those outside our area of expertise. Just keep in mind how proud you are of your own accomplishments and assume they feel the same.
Service their needs: This may seem self evident. However, if we are worried about not making enough money from this transaction, this will show through. Your level of unease may be felt by them as a lack of trustworthiness.
So concentrate on what they need. If you fulfil their need, your own will be serviced at the same time.
Create a ‘circle of power': There are 2 basic ways of dealing with other people. One is the ‘I talk you listen' (Or you talk I listen). The other, far more effective way is ‘I talk you listen, you talk back while I listen to you'. Now, in this simplistic form, this seems to be the same. However the second model, when used thoughtfully, expands into a circular way of acting and reacting to the needs of each person.
The key here, the emphasis that ultimately gets you what you want, is in the listening - then responding, as you would with your very best friend.
There are specific ‘trigger words' to facilitate your best result from this process, that are common across all businesses and organisations. Basically these words and phrases all express your concern to identify the needs of your client. In practice of course, each particular area of expertise has trigger words that will be specific to yours alone.
I work a lot with people in the health and aged care industry, where the need to be heard is crucial. But their training has not generally taught these methods. Largely because they can't know what it's like to be on the other - disempowered - side of the fence. All this is happening in an industry where they say - on paper and in their rhetoric - that they are patient-centric, which is a bit of a worry.
Be passionate about helping others make their working day more fruitful.
If you're not listening to clients and responding to their needs, nothing much changes.
Complaints: Don't make excuses, fix the problem
It has been shown that those firms which make a point of not wasting time justifying the reason for a mistake, but instead spend that time fixing the problem, don't only retain this client. The client in fact ends up more loyal to you than if a problem had not occurred. This is the power of being other-centred.
Give them a gift they didn't expect
I'm not talking bribery. I'm talking true concerns to surprise a friend with something that will make them unexpectedly happy. Whether it's that unexpected discount ‘just for being a loyal client', or a bunch of roses sent to the bedside when you discover their wife has just had a new baby, or if they spend a few days in the hospital themselves.
Of course you are not going to know their personal news unless you have set up a friendship, albeit a business one.
This will lead naturally from my final point -
Contact them sometimes, just to stay in touch
That phone call where you are not looking for business, you're just ringing up to say ‘Hello. Haven't spoken for a while. Are you having any problems we may be able to help you with?', or ‘I saw an article in the XXX that reminded me of you. They were talking about self-made men and the friendly way they do business'.
This is not the time to say ‘While I've got you, did I tell you about our new service...‘. Or not unless they instigate an issue where this is appropriate. Keep in mind that you are just phoning to stay in touch. So stay or target, or you are proved untrustworthy. And of course, if you've just heard their son broke his leg cross country biking, only commiserate if you are able to genuinely put yourself in their place.
The current business climate is one of constant change. When someone shifts base from one firm to another you'll only know by staying in touch. So keep in touch often.
Recently I tested this theory of staff movements, without that being my primary purpose. I sent out just 22 letters to people I'd exchanged cards with at conferences where I'd spoken over a period of 12 - 18 months, without a specific reason to be in touch in the meantime. 5 of them have already been returned with a note that they are no longer working in that institution. That's 25%!
Endnote: Unless caring communication is evident in the contact with your clients, you'll still have unhappy clients. Unhappy clients do tend to become former clients.
If you'd like to communicate with me, feel free. So far I've only been telling you.
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