How to keep you Customer's Engaged while they go through the Global Pandemic

It is not an easy task to continue to serve a Customer who is uncertain of the future. Their own anxieties over an unforeseeable period may temporarily reduce their interaction with service providers. The question is do we stand back and wait for them to ride the storm with an expectation that things will pick up; or are we positioning ourselves as trusted advisers during the trials of the unknown.

From my perspective there are two positives that could occur if we manage our relationship:

1) We can be ensured that once the storm blows over, we are standing by the side of the customer ready to pick up the pieces

2) We help them as they steer their ship through a mega-typhoon. (Maybe not as the Captain, but as a deckhand who is willing to get down and dirty so that we all reach peaceful waters together)

Either outcome would be beneficial, and although nothing in life is assured - the manner in which we manage our stakeholders will determine own survival through uncharted waters.

Listed below are a few areas where we could improve our engagement:

1) Foster Meaningful Relationships

In these trying times, everyone is going though some sort of pain whether it is a relative who is ill, or the inability to purchase rations while on lock-down. Be sure to empathize with your stakeholder and make sure that you build a relationship which goes beyond your transactional role. Small things such as periodically checking up on them or offering assistance in any form.

The world is still a labor intensive production house and it is our ability to foster true, meaningful relationships during the worst of times that will showcase our loyalty.

It seems really insignificant but the fact remains that people are emotional beings and unless we are able to understand what they are going through and reciprocate in a manner which is meaningful to them, we may never be able to truly build a meaningful relationship.

2) Continue to add value even when their businesses are offline

There stores and offices may be shut but that does not mean you still cannot add value to their business proposition. This is time to refine documents, streamline processes and develop solutions that would help them get better.

Lets get this straight, this is not what they are expecting - but this is your discretionary effort that extends your role from a service provider to a strategic partner.

As Author, John Green once said "The Darkest of Nights produce the Brightest Stars."

It is very easy to close shop and wait out the storm but the more value we can add while no one is expecting it, the more we are differentiating our value proposition.

Use this time wisely to create value for your stakeholder. Be proactive to anticipate business realities when it is time for markets to open and position yourself as someone who over delivers.

This is your 'X Factor'..!

3) Ensure you are Value for Money

Each of us has a value associated to the services we render. We often complain that we are underpaid and over-utilized but at this particular juncture, we need to eliminate this type of limiting belief. While your customer is looking to restructure its own business and seeking to eliminate all wastage, make sure you don't get tossed in the waste-bin.

You have to understand that your stakeholder may be taking drastic measures within their organization, and chances are the external providers are the first in the pecking order to get axed. This is where your value for money comes into play.

Ask yourself. Am I simply a wage earner or am someone to delivers exceptional value each day, each moment and on each project that I have been assigned to? If the answer is 'No' then that's where you need to reflect upon and develop a plan to appear indispensable in the eyes of your customer. - And that starts with your value.

Ensure that you are creating value that is far higher than your billing rate, and on top of that make sure your stakeholder knows that.

If there was ever correct time to bring on your 'A' Game, it is now!!

Offer to help them in whatever capacity

Sometimes our ego doesn't allow us to get down to grass root level to better service our stakeholders. The adoption of the 'nothing should be too menial' approach will have impact at a time like this. There will be scenarios when they reach out to you to populate a spreadsheet or even develop content which is not in the scope of your contract. My suggestion is take on the additional work where ever possible. If you do have the time and rather than waiting for the storm to pass, it is OK to get your knees dirty. This can perceived very positively by the client who may shift their image of you a business partner to a member of their own team.

Be Flexible in your Approach

While processes are important, it is your flexibility at this point that will earn you brownie points with your customer. In a dynamic work environment where one day is so different from the next, your client may have constantly evolving needs. It is up to you to be creative and manage their needs in a way that it does not disrupt their businesses while at the same time staying true to your internal processes and mechanisms. You may need to make certain concessions but the manner in which you are able to respond to your stakeholder will determine the way they perceive you.

The Leader in You

If you ever questioned your leadership status, here is where it is most relevant. At a time like this especially everyone in the organisation is a leader. Each individual has a role to play and their interactions with customers will determine the company's health.

'The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts' applies in this case where if everyone takes on their role as an influencer , decision maker, critical thinker and business partner, then it is likely to build customer confidence.

Where most companies fail even during the best of times is the manner in which leadership is to distributed to the masses. It is normally fostered at Senior Management Level with stooges responsible to operations & implementation. This culture may not survive in a situation like this.

It is up to everyone to put up their hands and be accounted for. It is up to each individual to play a bigger role within their capacities. No longer are you an Analyst, but you are working in Pre-Sales, Customer Engagement, Operations, Finance, HR, Delivery and a gamut of other areas.

Let me give you an example: If you frequently visit a bank, does your experience lay with the CEO or the teller who handles your transactions? In most cases your impression of the institution rests in the hands of the person you make contact with. This is why the teller's leadership attributes at his/her level are just as integral as the Board of Director's competence.

It is ownership you are taking as a leader, and the realization that you are equally responsible for the future of your business.