It’s no secret that enduring customer relationships are grounded in what the customer believes about your organization – how they feel about your commitment to their success.
There are 3 decisive moments that validate the value and endurance of your customer relationships.
Doing more than expected during these 3 key moments strengthens the customer’s trust in and reliance on your company, profoundly influencing why they continue to choose you.
- Your “First Contact” Moment:
Customers care only about the financial and competitive advantages you can produce for them. The more strategic and long-term these benefits are, the higher is your probability of building an enduring relationship rather than one based on being better, cheaper or faster than the competition. Prior to your first meeting, and during your dialogue with a prospect, invest time and energy to learn about their story, their issues, their goals and why they’re important. Prospects become customers once they confirm that you care about their success, can meet their needs, and could exceed their expectations.
- Your “Promises Kept” Moment:
Customers don’t buy products or services – they buy your promise to produce strategic value for them. Deliver what you promised, and ensure that the customer recognizes this. Deliver more than was promised and the next opportunity is yours. Keeping your promises reduces the customer’s vulnerability, and builds trust that reinforces your long-term position.
- Your “Advocacy” Moment:
One-time customers become recurring customers when your actions prove that you genuinely care about their business. Even when addressing an immediate need, propose solutions that go beyond resolving some current pain to strengthen their distinctiveness. Sustain a strategic dialogue with the customer, even when you are not currently engaged in serving them, to gain a comprehensive understanding about their business, their challenges and their opportunities. Share ideas and trends, continuously exploring new ways to produce value for them. This commitment, and generosity, makes you exceptional, an irreplaceable partner in their success.
How well does your team perform during these 3 key moments?
How do you know?
