Understanding Client Needs: The Key to Building Lasting Relationships

Several years ago, a good friend of mine drove to a car dealership in the sports car he had purchased from them a few years prior. As he arrived, an overly eager salesperson greeted him with a firm handshake and exclaimed, "Looking for a new car I see!"?

Barely unbuckling his seatbelt, my friend confirmed with a simple "yes." Before he could add anything, the salesperson launched into a 30-minute showcase of the dealership's latest sports cars, highlighting all the flashy features and innovations.?

However, after the exhausting presentation, my friend simply returned to his car and drove away.?

What the salesperson did not realize was that my friend had recently discovered his wife was pregnant with twins, and he was in the market for a minivan.?

This situation might seem outrageous, but it underscores a crucial point: truly understanding your clients' needs is fundamental to building and maintaining strong relationships. To ensure your clients never experience such a disconnect, consider focusing on these key strategies:?

?

1) Research:?

• Thoroughly understand the company: its history, operations, key stakeholders. Utilize resources like their website and LinkedIn.?

2) Focus on Business Drivers:?

• Determine what is important to them.?
• Understand their goals from top-down across the organization.?

3) Guide the Conversation:?

• Relate their organizational drivers to universal business drivers such as:?
• Productivity?
• Risk Mitigation?
• Cost Efficiencies?
• Client Experience?
• Brand Awareness?

4) Understand Their Challenges:?

• Recognize and understand their obstacles before rushing in with recommendations.?

5) Offer Relatable Perspectives:?

• Demonstrate your understanding through relatable stories or experiences of similar situations.?

6) Engage the Right People:?

• Ensure conversations are with analytical thinkers, not just operational staff.?

7) Understand Their KPIs:?

• Identify what is important to them and how they measure success.?

?

The depth and breadth of your understanding of your clients can significantly enhance the value you provide, making the relationship more fruitful. By truly listening with the intent to understand, you transform one-time interactions into long-term partnerships.??

One of the key roles I play at 2W Tech is to function as a coach and mentor to our sales team. I cannot emphasize enough to the team that diving deeper into client needs, recognizing their challenges, and aligning our offering, accordingly, is the key to building lasting relationships that are built on trust and continued value. This client-centric approach allows us to not only meet immediate expectations but also helps us align with their future needs. You will not have success as an organization and experience any growth if you cannot get your team to come around to this mindset.??