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You can strengthen your B2B customer relationships from the front-line. Customer loyalty is the key to maintaining your company’s profitability. Here are some practical steps your front line managers can take to keep and build your customer relationships.
First, always follow up on your survey feedback, especially those customers “in the middle” (gave you a 7 or 8). In my recent blog, “How should you follow up with Passive customers?” you learn how one of our clients handled a customer “in the middle,” resulting in a stronger business relationship. He was able to move the relationship from ‘vendor’ to ‘business partner’ status.
To get some more ideas for building your customer loyalty, read “5 Business Practices that Build Strong B2B Relationships.” This article reminds us that relationships are much more important than price and outlines other things to keep in mind as well, including:
- Solve a problem for them better than anyone else.
- Understand that you are not their #1 priority.
- Relationships are a marathon, not a sprint.
Here is a guideline of when and how your front-line managers should contact their customers to build their relationships.
Finally, read “The 10 Best Customer Experiences” to learn how top companies build strong customer experiences and relationships.
Remember, relationships are paramount to everything you do in your business. Customers should always be happy to hear from you!
Let us know if you have ideas or things you’ve learned about strengthening your customer relationships. We’d love to share them with all our clients.
Please stay safe and well.
Lynn Daniel
CEO
704.749.5018
How should you follow up with passive customers?
The passive customer is one who gives you a 7 or 8 on the ten-point scale. When you get formal feedback from your customers, one of the biggest frustrations you may have is when the customer gives you a score “in the middle.”
How should you follow up with these passive customers? You need to know why you didn’t get a 9 or 10 to make improvements. Additionally, it is especially annoying too when they give the reason for the score as your price (too high). The rest of the experience was great for your customer, but the price was simply too high.
Here’s how one of our clients followed up with a Passive customer.
The customer had rented a generator from our client. On the follow-up survey, the customer gave an 8 when asked about his likelihood to recommend. When asked about why, he said the reason was the price (too high). The local manager saw the survey response and decided to call the customer and learn more.
This customer was hard-to-reach, but the manager finally reached him. And, the customer confirmed that the reason he gave the eight was the price. He went on to say that the service provided was exceptional. READ MORE
