Sure, all clients are different. They have different kinds of strengths, weaknesses, cultures and goals. Even what blocks their efficiency and growth (blind spots) is different. Davis, Kingsley & Company has conducted hundreds of interviews and there are four strong themes that always emerge.
Listen to me. This is the Big Daddy of client desires. Your clients want you to listen to them. The implications of this theme lead to a variety of creative programs that will put you in a listening position with your clients. While surveys, at times, can be useful, we have found they do not satisfy a client's need to be heard.
Show me you've listened. If your clients take the time to speak up and offer their opinions about their experience with your company, your company must show a response. This doesn't mean thank you notes. This means showing the client that changes have been made. Showing them that their opinions made a difference. This is another opportunity to be creative about building relations with clients.
Serve, don't sell. Each client thinks they are different and unique. They also know they have needs and they know your company has some solutions. Clients want their service providers to listen to their needs and offer a response to the need when appropriate. This is different from selling although the activity may end with a sale being made. They do not want to hear your sales pitches just because you have a need to book more business or cross-sell.
Understand me. Every client thinks they are unique. You must do research to understand the problems your clients face from an individual standpoint as well as from company and industry perspectives. Demonstrating that you understand their unique personal and company concerns can be one of your key service differentiators.
Davis, Kingsley & Company can help you design and execute an effective client satisfaction assessment program to address these themes.
Provide mechanisms to listen to your clients. Companies hire us if they want candid and honest feedback from their clients. Our outsider status lets individuals talk freely about whatever is on their minds.
Be creative about demonstrating that you have listened. We work with companies to help them respond to the positive feedback to any problems uncovered. Then we make sure their clients are aware of the changes. After all, it was their opinions that offered the insights.
Build good relationships; it's still primary. It's common knowledge now that most complex sales are consummated after solid relationships are built. And we all know the best relationships are built on trust and respect. Davis, Kingsley & Company helps companies create opportunities that allow their clients to trust and respect them.
How is your organization doing? What would your clients say to us?
Darcie Davis, President of Davis, Kingsley & Company. Darcie is a management consultant, speaker, author and trainer. She works with companies to secure genuine feedback from their clients before advising them on strategic decisions about sales, marketing, and operations. Her advice will keep your clients out of the jaws of the competition.
Learn more about Darcie and the services offered at her firm at: http://www.DavisKingsley.com
The other day a reporter call to interview me on... Read More
Can we be too good to our customers?... Read More
Customer service is the most vital asset for Business either... Read More
1. Don't get Hooked !!!When people behave towards you in... Read More
Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant... Read More
Looking for hi-fi computer peripherals? Finding it tough to decide... Read More
Why is it that Microsoft wants you to buy its... Read More
Running a successful business takes a lot of energy and... Read More
Bad customer service is everywhere these days - unmanned front... Read More
What do your customers experience when they interact with your... Read More
Public transport operators who already use passenger surveys may not... Read More
"Every company's greatest assets are its customers, because without customers... Read More
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More
Customer service and customer service training are vital for any... Read More
Newsletters can be wonderful tools for communicating with your customers... Read More
Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More
Customer Service is a blessing and a curse; a blessing... Read More
If you are up to your ears in a stressful... Read More
Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your... Read More
1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More
Customer Service is a critical factor for keeping your clients... Read More
Client satisfaction starts with meeting or beating the contractual obligations... Read More
Today, there are situations when we actually add a "middle... Read More
Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up... Read More
Customer retention is vital to a business. If you cannot... Read More
Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee... Read More
Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer... Read More
It should be a straightforward business scenario: making sure that... Read More
You probably think I am going to say something like,... Read More
"Hi this is Randy. Leave me a message after the... Read More
My regular readers will know that one of the things... Read More
Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More
Abstract: People buy for their reasons, not yours. This article... Read More
Every customer you have is a word-of-mouth advertiser for you.... Read More
Millions of people, just like you, end up with a... Read More
The defintion of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that I favor... Read More
Customer service is increasingly seen as one of the most... Read More
'A 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by... Read More
You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More
What is one of the greatest ways to add value... Read More
Customer Loyalty, we all want it. Don't we?Some people say... Read More
Good service is easy to spot and hard-to-find. Mediocre service... Read More
I will not make sales. I will make Customers.I will... Read More
Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever?... Read More
Unless you are brand new to business, or have been... Read More
1. Hire people who have a service attitude. Some people... Read More
Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee... Read More
One thing all successful small business owners have in common... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
Customer Service is a blessing and a curse; a blessing... Read More
It's possible that in the course of your business dealings,... Read More
Call center solutions solve a range of age-old problems. As... Read More
- Excerpt from Richard Saporito's latest e-book "How to Improve... Read More
Customer service is an essential component of any business. Clearly,... Read More
One of the mantras we hear repeatedly in business is... Read More
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone... Read More
7:00 a.m., the silence in the house is broken by... Read More
A general counsel of a large international consulting firm told... Read More
Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More
The other day while at the book store, I came... Read More
Every business owner should have a picture of his or... Read More
Homebuyers are an interesting study. Watching people make their home... Read More
We all want great service, whether we are buying our... Read More
Customer Service |