We know that trust is the basis for enduring customer relationships.
The depth of that trust goes well beyond the reliability of your offerings, or even the fulfillment of your promises. It largely depends on how well your people create a human connection with your customer’s people, enabling a personal touch when it’s most needed, i.e. to resolve a problem.
So before there can be trust, there must be a personal connection. Connections develop when people share stories, discovering that they also share common experiences and values which define their humanity. Investing time to hear your customers’ stories allows them to feel seen and respected by you. When something goes wrong, these connections help you promptly learn who was harmed and what would help the customer move forward, while acknowledging that it may be impossible to completely make amends.
And for a personal connection to grow, there must be empathy and generosity. Listening to understand what the customer values, and why it is important, enriches a personal connection. So does acting with generosity to resolve a problem without expecting a quid pro quo.
People buy from people, not organizations. Customer relationships endure when your people act with empathy and generosity, creating personal connections that build trust.
How do you encourage the building of connections
with your customers?
What training, tools and support can help your people
build connections?
