Customers who have high expectations are not necessarily difficult or demanding. They are simply looking for value, quality, and satisfaction from your products or services. If you can meet or exceed their expectations, you can build strong relationships that lead to loyalty, referrals, and repeat business. Here are some tips on how to do that.
The first step to building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations is to understand their needs, preferences, and goals. You can do this by asking open-ended questions, listening actively, and taking notes. You can also use surveys, feedback forms, or social media to gather insights and opinions. By understanding their needs, you can tailor your solutions, communicate effectively, and anticipate their challenges.
Building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations requires consistent communication, personalized attention, and exceeding their expectations. Listen attentively to their needs, anticipate their desires, and provide exceptional service tailored to their preferences. Transparency and honesty are key, as is delivering on promises promptly. Continuously seek feedback to demonstrate your commitment to improvement. By consistently meeting and exceeding their high expectations, you'll solidify trust and loyalty, fostering enduring relationships built on mutual respect and satisfaction.
In the services industry customer expectations and performance measures are normally clearly defined in service contacts. The contracting process sets up the relationship. I spend as much time on understanding the customers' needs as I do on assessing my companies' capability to service their needs. There is no point in over promising during contracting. There will be plenty of time to exceed and delight after you have proved to be reliable and consistent during the early stages of delivery.
The second step to building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations is to deliver on your promises. This means being consistent, reliable, and accurate in your products or services. You should also be transparent, honest, and accountable in your interactions. If you make a mistake, admit it, apologize, and fix it. If you face a delay, inform them, explain why, and offer alternatives. By delivering on your promises, you can build trust, credibility, and reputation.
The early stages of service delivery to new customers is usually done under watchful eyes, both parties anxious to see that things progress to plan. I put a huge amount of effort into bedding down service level agreements (SLA's) that were negotiated during contracting. My teams need to be clear on the expectation on key measures for volume, quality, escalation, recovery etc. We publish charts daily to reinforce the expectation. We also have backup support on hand to help is things slip. These actions provide a great platform for ongoing reporting and also good current data for ad-hoc enquiries form the customer. I usually ask the customer for their preferred communication schedule and mode and make sure we proactive and commit.
The third step to building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations is to exceed their expectations. This means going above and beyond what they expect from you. You can do this by adding value, offering extra benefits, or surprising them with something unexpected. You can also show appreciation, recognition, and gratitude for their business. By exceeding their expectations, you can create wow moments, delight them, and make them feel special.
One of the benefits of realistic promises during contracting is that there will be scope for improvement early in the relationship. I always try to find a few small incremental tweaks to the process that we can offer up in the early stages of delivery. It is great to do this before the client asks as it shows initiative and announces that we view the relationship as a partnership. It gives the customer a good new story to share internally and ultimately encouraged them to direct further opportunity our way.
The fourth step to building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations is to seek feedback and improvement. This means asking for their opinions, suggestions, and complaints. You should also monitor their satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. You can use tools like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), or Customer Effort Score (CES) to measure these metrics. By seeking feedback and improvement, you can identify gaps, address issues, and enhance your performance.
The fifth step to building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations is to nurture the relationship. This means staying in touch, following up, and providing support. You should also keep them informed, updated, and engaged with your brand. You can use channels like email, phone, or social media to communicate with them. You can also use content marketing, newsletters, or blogs to educate them, entertain them, or inspire them. By nurturing the relationship, you can foster loyalty, advocacy, and growth.
Je ne vois qu'une seule solution : la proximité ! A partir du moment où vos clients sont satisfaits par vos produits ou services, vous devez être là pour eux, à chaque moment. Vous devez occuper le terrain, être présent à leur c?té, les aider, les accompagner, même sur des sujets qui ne sont pas les v?tres mais sur lesquels vous être assez compétent pour leur apporter un service plus.
The sixth step to building strong relationships with customers who have high expectations is to learn from the best. This means looking at examples of companies or brands that have excelled in customer service, customer experience, or customer relationship management. You can study their strategies, tactics, or best practices. You can also benchmark your performance against theirs or seek their advice or mentorship. By learning from the best, you can emulate their success, innovate your approach, or differentiate your value.