 |
| Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet |
To cultivate customer loyalty, here are 3 behaviors you want your customer contact people to consistently demonstrate:
Generosity
Seek first to learn about potential customers – their story, their needs, their aspirations – and share ideas, trends and suggestions that might produce value for them, without any expectation of an immediate sale. This will surprise them, and they’ll appreciate your openness and generosity.
When presenting potential solutions, lead with the customer’s interests and what you can do for them; this will resonate more than an introduction that focuses on your company’s pedigree.
Every interaction, no matter how seemingly trivial, is an opportunity to add value and enhance your customer’s experience.
“Generosity is the genesis of trust” and trust sustains relationships.
Vulnerability
When doing business, customers find it easier to perceive, judge and commit to companies that provide access to real people. When customer contact people share small personal insights, their vulnerability is revealed, making it easier for a customer to recognize authenticity, a key component of trust building. Asking about a customer’s interests or family, or sharing an emotion, demonstrates empathy and care.
Personal interactions are the glue that bonds relationships. People want to buy from people.
Reliability
Most business customers don’t want or need some exceptional experience. They want to work with an organization that reliably anticipates needs, solves problems and keeps promises. Make their interactions as effortless for them as possible. Avoid business practices that constrain the personal touch; they make it more difficult for customers to discover who they can trust.
Know your business, learn their business and offer more value than they can get from a competitor. Don’t take the relationship for granted – strive to earn their business with every transaction.
